Serves 6-12

For the lamb chops
½ onion, finely grated
2 tbsp full-fat natural yoghurt
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
12 whole lamb chops
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

For the cumin spice rub
2 tbsp cumin seeds
½ tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp coarse ground black pepper
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp smoked paprika

For the anchovy butter
80g unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp lemon juice
10 anchovies in olive oil, finely chopped
1 tbsp picked lemon thyme leaves

 

Mix the onion, yoghurt, cumin, olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the lamb chops and use your hands to massage the marinade into the meat. Leave covered in the fridge for at least two hours.

For the rub, put the cumin and caraway seeds in a heavy-based pan and toast on a medium-high heat until smoking and fragrant but not burnt. Take off the heat and transfer to a bowl, add the pepper, sugar, salt and paprika, stir to combine, then grind the spices to a powder with a pestle and mortar. Set aside.

Next, make the anchovy butter by melting the butter in a small frying pan over a medium-low heat, add the garlic and fry until soft, whisking until it darkens to a nut-brown – four to five minutes – then add the lemon juice, anchovies and lemon thyme. Continue to cook for a few minutes, then set aside. Reheat when ready to serve.

For the meat, scrape off the excess marinade, dredge the chops in the rub and put on the grill directly above hot embers. Cook for two to three minutes on each side, until nicely charred around the edges, the fat crisped and golden, but still soft to the touch and pink on the inside.