Chump Chop Champvallon with Rosemary and Tomatoes

• Season the lamb chump chops with salt, black pepper and half of the chopped rosemary.
• Heat the olive oil in a wide sauté pan and sear the chops quickly on both sides until lightly coloured. Remove and reserve. They should not be cooked through at this stage.
• Add half of the butter to the same pan. Add the onions and cook gently until soft, sweet and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute without allowing it to brown.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes, just until they begin to soften and release their juices. Do not reduce them to a sauce.
• Deglaze the pan with the white wine, if using, and reduce by half. Add the hot stock and bring to a simmer. Check the seasoning carefully, as the potatoes will absorb much of the flavour.
• Butter a shallow ovenproof dish. Arrange a layer of potatoes in the base, then add some of the onion and tomato mixture, a little rosemary, salt and black pepper. Continue layering until the potatoes, onions and tomatoes are used, finishing with a neat layer of potatoes.
• Pour over the hot stock and tomato juices. Dot the surface with the remaining butter and add the rosemary sprigs.
• Cover with parchment and foil and bake at 180°C for 45 minutes.
• Remove the dish from the oven. Nestle the seared chump chops into the potatoes, leaving the top of each chop partly exposed. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for 18–25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, the top is golden and the lamb is cooked to the desired point.
• Rest for 8–10 minutes before serving so the potatoes absorb the lamb, tomato and rosemary juices.
• Finish with chopped parsley and a little fresh rosemary.

Presentation

• Serve two chump chops per portion with a generous spoonful of the layered rosemary potatoes, onions and tomatoes. Spoon the cooking juices around the plate rather than over the chops, so the browned lamb and golden potato surface remain visible.

• Season the lamb chump chops with salt, black pepper and half of the chopped rosemary.
• Heat the olive oil in a wide sauté pan and sear the chops quickly on both sides until lightly coloured. Remove and reserve. They should not be cooked through at this stage.
• Add half of the butter to the same pan. Add the onions and cook gently until soft, sweet and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute without allowing it to brown.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes, just until they begin to soften and release their juices. Do not reduce them to a sauce.
• Deglaze the pan with the white wine, if using, and reduce by half. Add the hot stock and bring to a simmer. Check the seasoning carefully, as the potatoes will absorb much of the flavour.
• Butter a shallow ovenproof dish. Arrange a layer of potatoes in the base, then add some of the onion and tomato mixture, a little rosemary, salt and black pepper. Continue layering until the potatoes, onions and tomatoes are used, finishing with a neat layer of potatoes.
• Pour over the hot stock and tomato juices. Dot the surface with the remaining butter and add the rosemary sprigs.
• Cover with parchment and foil and bake at 180°C for 45 minutes.
• Remove the dish from the oven. Nestle the seared chump chops into the potatoes, leaving the top of each chop partly exposed. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for 18–25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, the top is golden and the lamb is cooked to the desired point.
• Rest for 8–10 minutes before serving so the potatoes absorb the lamb, tomato and rosemary juices.
• Finish with chopped parsley and a little fresh rosemary.

Presentation

• Serve two chump chops per portion with a generous spoonful of the layered rosemary potatoes, onions and tomatoes. Spoon the cooking juices around the plate rather than over the chops, so the browned lamb and golden potato surface remain visible.