Grilled lamb chops with morels and spinach prooves that it just takes a couple of well-chosen ingredients to make the humble lamb chop a fantastic main. Morels only have a short season, so make use of them in the kitchen now while you still can. Dried morels are also delicious if you don’t manage to get any fresh.

For a different take on lamb, try slow-cooked lamb with sherry and saffron potatoes. The bold flavours of this recipe make it particuarly suited to those early spring lambs that have not had time to become flavoursome.

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS WITH MORELS AND SPINACH

Morels have a short season so grab the chance to cook with them when you can. Use dried if you can’t find fresh but never eat them raw as they are mildly toxic.

Serves 4

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 24 medium-sized fresh morels, cleaned and cut lengthways or 25g dried morels soaked in 200ml just-boiled water
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 200ml lamb stock
• 1 dsp wholegrain mustard
• 4 tbs crème fraîche
• 10g finely chopped tarragon
• 8 lamb chops
• 300g spinach

To make grilled lamb chops with morels and spinach, in a pan gently fry the garlic and morels in the oil. If you use dried morels make sure you substitute the water for the stock in the next stage.

Once you can smell the garlic (about two minutes) add the stock or morel water, mustard, crème fraîche and tarragon.

Season with salt and pepper and keep warm. Season the chops and grill under a high heat then leave to rest while you wilt the spinach.

To serve grilled lamb chops with morels and spinach, pile the spinach and chops on to a warm plate and pour over the morel sauce.

Depending on what you serve as your starter, this can go really well with mashed potato or crushed butter beans