Maple and balsamic glazed lamb chops with mint, almonds and feta couscous

Not a reinvention of the wheel with these flavour combos but a simple seductive supper none-the-less. I have to do away with knives and forks for these little lamb chops and with messy fingers gnaw off the meat, right down to the bone.

Credit: Myles New / Lorraine's Fast, Fresh and Easy Food

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Couscous

• 300 g (11 oz) couscous
• 200 g (7 oz) good feta cheese
• drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Lamb

• Vegetable oil
• Large handful of fresh thyme sprigs
• 8 lamb chops or 8 lamb cutlets
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 50 g (2 oz) flaked almonds

Glaze

• 25 g (1 oz) butter
• 1½ tbsp maple syrup
• 3 tsp balsamic vinegar

To serve

• small handful of fresh mint
• handful of pomegranate seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Put the kettle on to boil for the couscous.
2. Meanwhile, put a large frying pan on a medium heat with a good glug of oil. Run your fingers down the thyme sprigs to release their leaves and sprinkle them all over a large plate. Add a little salt and pepper and then squish the lamb chops or cutlets into the mix, turning them over to coat the other side also. This will give a lovely crust when cooked. Fry them in the pan for about 3-4 minutes on the first side or until they are golden brown.
3. Tip the couscous into a medium bowl, pour the boiled water over to come just a little over the top, cover with cling film and leave aside for about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, trim and slice the spring onions (the green and white bit) and set aside.
5. For the glaze, put the butter, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan over a high heat. Bring to the boil and then reduce to simmer, leaving it to bubble away for about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time.
6. Flip the lamb over and leave to cook for a further 3-4minutes depending how you like them cooked.
7. Check the couscous grains have absorbed all the water and are tender and then fluff it up with a fork. Crumble the feta cheese in, season with salt and pepper and add a good drizzle of oil. Stir together and re-cover to keep warm.
8. The glaze should be thickened and syrupy (a little thinner than golden syrup) so remove from the heat and keep warm.
9. Cut into the centre of one of the lamb chops or cutlets to check that they are cooked to your liking. When ready, remove them onto plate to rest for a few minutes, covered with tin foil (this will make it much more tender and juicy).
10. Add the spring onions and flaked almonds to the frying pan and cook on a medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring them a bit every now and then. Remove from the heat when the spring onions are wilted and the almonds golden.
11. Divide the couscous between four serving plates. Sit the rested lamb chops on top and drizzle the glaze (and any resting juices) over. Scatter over the onion and almond mix and rip up the mint leaves. If using, top with the pomegranate seeds and serve.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.