This pan-fried lamb chops with roasted tomatoes, provençal vegetables and sauce vierge looks as pretty in the pot as it does presented on the plate. Also pretty was the onetime boyfriend I acquired from the fabulous 4-star Hotel Les Roche in Aiguebelle Plage, where I worked. 
The lamb smells heavenly and tastes divine, actually taking no time to prepare and cook. While it's cooking, get your head waiter to dress the table and then the lamb is more or less done. Perfect for a weekday meal for four hungry people, though this meal would have cost you an arm and two legs at Les Roche.
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
For the lamb
4 lamb chops
few sprigs thyme
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3 smoked garlic, skin on and crushed
4 tomatoes
For the vegetables
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 aubergine (eggplant)
1 courgette, sliced
2 cloves smoked garlic, skin on and crushed
1 teaspoon thyme, leaves only
For the sauce vierge
4 tomatoes, on the vine, cut into quarters
1 lemon, juice only
small bunch basil, chopped
olive oil
For the lamb: season the lamb chops with salt and pepper and sprinkle with thyme leaves.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the lamb, with the whole smoked garlic cloves and tomatoes, for 2-3 minutes on each side. Set aside to rest.
For the vegetables: in a separate pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the aubergine, courgette and smoked garlic cloves for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the thyme leaves, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for a further 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.
For the sauce vierge: put the chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, basil and a generous glug of olive oil in to a pan. Season with salt and pepper. Heat gently for 3-4 minutes, until warmed through.
Add the lamb chops to the pan with the vegetables to warm through. Serve topped with the sauce vierge and roasted tomatoes and you're ready to eat.
The lamb smells heavenly and tastes divine, actually taking no time to prepare and cook. While it's cooking, get your head waiter to dress the table and then the lamb is more or less done. Perfect for a weekday meal for four hungry people, though this meal would have cost you an arm and two legs at Les Roche. Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
For the lamb
4 lamb chops
few sprigs thyme
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3 smoked garlic, skin on and crushed
4 tomatoes
For the vegetables
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 aubergine (eggplant)
1 courgette, sliced
2 cloves smoked garlic, skin on and crushed
1 teaspoon thyme, leaves only
For the sauce vierge
4 tomatoes, on the vine, cut into quarters
1 lemon, juice only
small bunch basil, chopped
olive oil
For the lamb: season the lamb chops with salt and pepper and sprinkle with thyme leaves.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the lamb, with the whole smoked garlic cloves and tomatoes, for 2-3 minutes on each side. Set aside to rest.
For the vegetables: in a separate pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the aubergine, courgette and smoked garlic cloves for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the thyme leaves, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for a further 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.
For the sauce vierge: put the chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, basil and a generous glug of olive oil in to a pan. Season with salt and pepper. Heat gently for 3-4 minutes, until warmed through.
Add the lamb chops to the pan with the vegetables to warm through. Serve topped with the sauce vierge and roasted tomatoes and you're ready to eat.
