Lamb and pistachio is a classic combination but it wasn’t until I seen a post on another blog a few weeks ago that I considered a pistachio tapenade to be a possibility or indeed something that would work.

The idea was reinforced when I was in Waitrose  the other day.  One of their Heston specials (recipes devised to sell certain produce) was Lamb with tapenade and runner beans. So I thought I would give it a go.

Serves 2

• 4 Lamb Chops
• 2 Large Potatoes
• 1 Celeriac
• 1 Aubergine
• Knob of Butter
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Pistachio Tapenade

• 75g Pistachios (toasted)
• 75g Green Olives
• 1 tbsp of Capers
• 1 clove of Garlic
• 1 small handful of chopped Parsley
• 1 small handful of chopped Mint
• Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
• Olive Oil

Method

1. Blitz all of the tapenade ingredients in a blender, slowly adding the olive oil until you get a coarse paste consistency.
2. Peel the celeriac and potato and chop into large chunks. Bring a pan of water to the boil, season and drop the heat to just below a simmer. Add the celeriac and potato to cook for 15-20 mins (until tender).
3. Cut the Aubergine into equal sized discs. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven at 200C for 20 mins.
4. Season the lamb chops and then over a high heat, fry on each side for 2 mins.
5. Smear an equal portion of the tapenade onto one side of each of the chops. Place in the oven  for 5 mins (this will be medium rare).
6. Whilst the chops are in the oven, drain the celeriac and potato. Pop back on the heat for 1-2 minutes to get rid of any needless moisture. Mash with a masher. Fold in a knob of butter and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
7. Serve