On the heat. No heat at all — the mint carries it

Ingredients

• 8 lamb loin chops, 30 mm thick
• Coarse salt, black pepper
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• — MINT SAUCE
• 1 large handful mint leaves, tightly packed
• 3 tbsp boiling water
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• — CRUSHED PEAS
• 500 g peas, frozen is correct here
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp cream
• Zest of half a lemon

Method

1. Chop the mint fine, put it in a small bowl with the sugar and pour the boiling water over. Leave ten minutes, then add the vinegar. The boiling water is the step people skip; it is what stops the mint going black and bitter.
2. Salt the chops and leave them on the counter for 30 minutes. A cold chop in a hot pan seizes and stays tough.
3. Heavy pan, no oil, very hot. Stand the chops on their fat edge, tongs holding them upright, for 3 minutes until the fat is golden and has run. You now have all the fat you need.
4. Lay them flat in their own fat. Four minutes, turn once, three minutes. Add the butter and rosemary for the last minute and spoon it over.
5. Rest on a warm plate for 6 minutes. This is not optional on a thick chop.
6. Peas into boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Drain, add butter, cream and lemon zest, and crush with a masher — leave half of them whole. A blender gives you soup.
7. Serve the chops on the peas with the mint sauce in a jug, not poured over.

Cook's note. Why the loin chop. It is the only chop that carries a nugget of fillet on the other side of the bone, which is why it costs more than the rib. Eat that bit last.

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