Lamb chops with barbecued tomatoes and white beans

By Tara O'Brady

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A hearty meal with juicy and lean lamb served with charred tomatoes and white beans.

YIELDS

2H 20 Mins

Ingredients

2 pounds (900 g) sturdy tomatoes, not overripe
Medium-grained kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed
1 cup (250 ml) olive oil, plus more as needed
10 garlic cloves, peeled
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 small lemon or orange
1 small dried red chile, optional
1 1/2 cups (250 g) cooked white beans (butter beans, etc)
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
Minced chives, fennel fronds, to serve
4 lamb chops, seasoned with salt and pepper and brushed with olive oil, grilled to your liking (rib or shoulder chops are fine, the latter the most cost-effective)

Directions

Prepare a moderate grill, or preheat an oven to 325°F.
Slice the tomatoes through their equators. If desired, use a paring knife to trim the woodiest parts of their cores.
Season the cut sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle the tomatoes lightly with olive oil, then set into a shallow, heatproof, non-reactive baking dish, with space between each — if it's too snug, the tomatoes will steam, rather than roast, and you want to have some room for the chickpeas and chêvre later.
Tumble the garlic cloves into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Pour in one cup of olive oil.
Tuck in the thyme and rosemary.
Peel the zest from the citrus with a vegetable peeler into broad strips. Add these to the oil, along with the chile, if used. The garlic and all the seasonings should be fully submerged in the oil; add more oil if needed.
Place both the tomatoes in their dish and the saucepan onto the hot grill, with the saucepan in the coolest spot. Shut the lid and leave to cook.
Check the oil now and again to make sure it never gets past a trembling simmer. Adjust its placement on the grill to keep it so. Once the tomatoes have begun to shrivel, with their cut sides drying and darkening, 35 minutes or so, spoon the oil over all. Flip the tomatoes over, then add the garlic, herbs, and dried chile to their dish. Try to hold back and discard the seeds. In the dish, the oil should still cover the cloves. Cover the grill and cook until tender, about 20 minutes more.
Turn the tomatoes face up, working carefully, as they’ll be quite tender. Nudge the tomatoes aside to make larger pockets of space; into those, spoon in the beans. Loll them around in the oil, then sprinkle with the paprika. Bake until the beans are warmed, 10 to 15 minutes more.
Season all with salt and pepper, and squeeze some of the juice of the zested citrus over top. Garnish with fresh herbs, and serve, ideally with some lightly-dressed greens and a big, rustic boule. If there aren't any vegetarians at the table, tuck the lamb chops into the tomatoes and present family-style. Keep them on the side otherwise. Enjoy!

TIP: Meaty tomatoes work best here. Err on firmly ripe rather than soft, or they will not hold their shape with the heat. Cooking time will depend greatly on their ripeness.