Ingredients

• 6 bushy sprigs thyme
• a little olive oil
• 4 lamb steaks or 12 small rib chops
• For the pea purée:
• 3 cups (400g) shelled peas
• 4 sprigs mint
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• To finish, optional:
• 4 small handfuls pea shoots
• extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Chop the thyme, then mash it in a pestle and mortar with a large pinch of salt. Stir in the olive oil and a grinding of pepper. Brush over the lamb and set aside for thirty minutes.

2. Boil the peas in lightly salted water until tender. Meanwhile, put the mint leaves, butter, and a pinch of salt into a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth. Drain the peas and whiz them in the blender or processor with the mint butter until you have a thick, green cream. If you need to keep it warm, put it in a bowl covered with aluminum foil in a pan of hot water.

3. Grill the lamb on both sides until the outside has crisped and the inside is still rose pink and juicy. Depending on the thickness of your lamb and the heat of your grill, this will take about four minutes on each side.

4. Divide the pea cream among four warm plates. Place the cooked lamb on top, then a handful of pea shoots on the lamb. Shake a little olive oil over the lamb and pea shoots and serve.

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