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Been Training Hard? Prep This Muscle-Repairing Moroccan Lamb, from Chef Ben Tish

From Men's Health

This easy Moroccan feast, from award-winning chef Ben Tish, is perfect for when your brain and body are flagging at the end of a hard week. As well as being a top source of the power-building nutrient creatine, each serving of lamb contains 30g of protein. Add peas for vital minerals and B vitamins, plus spelt flatbread for fibre, and you have a meal that will restore you to your prime.

Serves 2
Lamb chops, 4, trimmed of excess fat
Frozen peas, 90g
Half a lemon, juiced
White balsamic vinegar, 50ml
Olive oil, 75ml
Garlic, 2 cloves, peeled and finely sliced
Cumin seeds, 1tsp, lightly crushed
Fresh mint, small bunch
Sea salt, pepper and olive oil, for cooking

1/ Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanche the peas. Refresh in iced water, drain and reserve.

2/ Season the chops and rub with olive oil. Cook on the grill on one side for 4 minutes. There should be a good caramelisation when the chops are turned. Turn the chops over and cook for a further 3 minutes or until medium rare. Remove, squeeze over the lemon and rest on a rack in a warm spot for 5-7 minutes. Reserve any of the resting juices.

3/ Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar, season well and then heat in a saucepan along with the cumin and garlic. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the peas, turn off the heat, pour in the lamb juices and season. To serve divide some of the peas, along with some of the vinaigrette onto two plates. Place two lamb chops on top of each pile of peas and then spoon over the remainder of the pea and vinaigrette. Finish each plate with a sprinkle of fresh mint leaves.

Makes 4-6
Spelt flour, 250g
Chickpea flour, 50g
(Or 300g of plain flour works, too)
Cumin seeds, 1tsp
Fennel seeds, 1tsp
Dried yeast, 8g in 100ml luke-warm water
Runny honey, 2tsp
Yogurt, 1tbsp
Sea salt, pepper and olive oil, for cooking

1/ Mix together the flours and seeds in a bowl and season well. Whisk the honey into the water-yeast mix and leave for about 10 minutes. The liquid will start to foam slightly when ready.

2/ Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the yeast mix, mixing as you go, then add the oil and yogurt. Mix again to form dough, knead for 5 minutes, cover and then prove in a warm spot until doubled in size (this should take around 1-1.5 hours). The dough will be slightly wetter than traditional bread dough.

3/ When the dough’s ready knock back in the bowl and divide into six pieces. Flour a smooth surface and roll out each piece of dough into a rough circle about 1cm thick. Transfer onto a tray separated by pieces of baking parchment.

4/ Place the breads on an oiled tray, brush the tops with oil and grill at a high heat until they are puffed and golden brown. Turn them over and repeat the process. If you have access to a BBQ, brush the breads with oil and lay them carefully on the grill – they will cook quickly – then turn using tongs once they have puffed up. A little char is quite authentic. Serve sprinkled with sea salt.

These recipes were feature on Men's Health's Instagram Live Saturday Cookalong. With thanks to Ben Tish, author of Moorish: Vibrant recipes from the Mediterranean


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