As the nights draw in and we head deeper into autumn, my seasonal love of stodgy mash returns as reliably as the frost. Bu-bye salad, sushi, our summer romance was a good one, but right now, I think we're just in different places and I've started seeing potatoes.

Similarly, richer meats like lamb become a more regular occurance on my plate in the latter months of the year. Lamb has always been BFFs with mint, so pairing it with the herb is a bit of a no-brainer. Mixing the mint into a marinade with balsamic is good for two reasons. Firstly, the vinegar will tenderise the meat as it marinates, and secondly, when you grill it, it will help to achieve a sweet, caremelised char that will compliment the richness of the lamb beautifully.

I like the mash in the dish good and garliccy, adding an extra level of comforting flavour.

You can stick your chops under the grill if you don't have a griddle pan, but personally I prefer the griddle method, as the direct contact with the pan means you can crispen up the fat on the chops nicely, without having to dry out the meat.

Ingredients (serves 2)

4 good quality, locally sourced lamb chops

1 big handful of fresh mint

4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

2-3 baking sized potatoes

1 large knob of butter

A dash of milk

salt/pepper

steamed greens to serve

2 large cloves of garlic

Directions

Before you go to work in the morning, finely chop the mint and mix with the balsamic. Season with salt and pepper, slather over the chops and leave in the fridge all day.

Peel and chop the potatoes into small chunks. Boil until tender, drain and allow to dry in colander.

Meanwhile, heat the griddle pan until almost smoking and place the chops in the pan. Cook on each side for 3-4mins for medium (cooked with a slight hint of pink), or more or less time according to preference.

Heat the butter in the pan you boiled the potatoes in and crush in the garlic. Fry for 1min, and add the milk and a good grinding of pepper. Allow to heat through and remove from the heat. Throw in potatoes and mash until smooth.

Pile your chops on your potatoes and serve with green vegetables.

Image Via A Year from Oak Cottage