This is a rather nice combination of flavours and colours. I call this summer mash because instead of being enriched with butter it is almost green with good olive oil and further flavoured with garlic and lemon juice. The sharpness of the mash is a good foil for the sweetness of the peppers and the richness of the lamb. For the vegetables, choose a vibrant selection of peppers, red, yellow and orange, and combine them with aubergine and courgette. I like to add a pinch of chilli flakes too but they are optional. There are also herbs on the lamb that will cook down into the vegetables. There’s no shortage of olive oil here but I like to think it’s good for me.

Ingredients - serves 4

4 lamb chops
2 tbsp olive oil
2 sprigs mint, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt, pepper

1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow pepper
2 courgettes
1 aubergine
olive oil
salt & pepper

4 medium potatoes
juice of 1 small lemon
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
chopped parsley

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C
Mix together the mint, rosemary, garlic and olive oil, season with salt and pepper and rub all over the chops. Now seed the peppers and slice; trim the courgettes and slice; trim the aubergine, slice and dice. Toss the vegetables in seasoned olive oil and place on a roasting tray with the lamb sitting on top. Roast for about 25 minutes.

While the lamb and vegetables are roasting, peel and boil the potatoes with the garlic cloves in salted water until cooked. Mash well (best done through a ricer or mouli) and add the lemon juice to taste. Now fold olive oil into the mash until it has a looser consistency and is glossy. Finally, fold in the chopped parsley.

Divide the Mediterranean vegetables between four warmed plates, top with a chop, and serve with the green, glossy mash.