Yoghurt marinated lamb cutlets with orzo - lamb for my lamb

There is definitely spring in the air today – I saw some daffodils and in our little front garden the croci - I’m sure no one actually says that – the crocuses are bravely sticking their heads out. And it wasn’t pitch black when I left the office. Hurrah!

I could link this little prologue to spring lamb, but I’m not going to. I just happened to stop at Waitrose on the way home and lay my eyes on the beautiful rack of lamb there, spring or not.

Hubby loves lamb, I think he is genetically programmed to. A bit like me and dill. We’re like this. Luckily lamb is something I can cook in many and usually delicious ways.

This particular recipe is a lovely way to cook lamb. Summertime it’s great to do outside on the coal barbeque, I am not lying when I say the neighbours come knocking at the gate. Of course I'm lying, this is London after all and we don't talk to our neighbours. Even if juicy lamb is at stake. Literally.

Nothing wrong with the griddle pan either while it's not quite barbecuing weather yet. 

Yoghurt marinated lamb cutlets and Orzo with Feta and vegetables (serves 4)

1kg of lamb chops or cutlets

Lamb marinade:

1 cup of yoghurt

3 tbsp of oil

2 garlic cloves minced (or more if you’re into garlic)

3 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley

3 tbsp of chopped fresh mint (rosemary obviously is also fantastic with lamb)

1 tbsp honey

Juice of half a lemon

Salt

Black pepper

Mix all the ingredients of the marinade. Marinate the lamb for a few hours or overnight. Even just a couple of hours will give a lovely soft and succulent lamb full of taste. Take the meat to room temperature 30 minutes before frying. Pick the meat from the marinade shaking the excess off, but don’t wipe. Discard the excess marinade.

Heat oil in a frying pan to medium-high heat, place the lamb on the pan and turn heat to medium, even low-medium depending on how thick your cutlets or chops are. Fry on both sides until they are are lovely brown colour and done to your liking.

Vegetables and Orzo

2 cups of orzo

1 chicken stock cube
water

2 shallots or a bunch of scallions

1 bell pepper

1 courgette

2 garlic cloves
150 g cherry tomatoes
Greek herb mix (optional)

salt

pepper
75 g Feta

Cover the orzo with plenty of water, add the chicken stock cube and cook according to the pack instructions – about 10 minutes until slightly al dente. Drain.

In a separate pan fry chopped shallot, courgette, bell pepper, and minced garlic for a few minutes, add salt and pepper. Add a splash of the stock from the boiling orzo to the vegetables, you can also add Greek herb mix if you have some, or any dried herbs you like. Add halved cherry tomatoes towards the end of cooking. Cook until the veg is done but not mushy.

Add the drained orzo to the veg mix, add chopped fresh herbs and crumble the feta on top. Mix, check seasoning and serve with the lamb.