Lamb is my favourite meat, even if Spanish lamb is somewhat scrawnier than what you'll find back in the UK. But sometimes 'scrawny' is exactly right, although these chuletillas de cordero - Spanish lamb chops – are perfect, especially if you have homemade mint sauce.

The jar made it to the restaurant — chuletillas de cordero - Spanish lamb chops from the Sierra de Málaga.

It started with a jar in a girlfriend's fridge — homemade mint sauce, tucked in the door. That, combined with sunshine and a weakness for long lunches, led to being chauffeured to a local eatery in the Sierra de Málaga that specialises in chuletillas de cordero — small, tender lamb chops, grilled simply over wood or charcoal. If you're not familiar with the term, chuletillas de cordero are the Spanish equivalent of lamb cutlets, typically from young lamb and cooked fast over high heat. They're a staple of rural Andalucían cooking and utterly delicious.

When we asked where the lamb came from, the answer was simple: La Sierra de Málaga, via the carnicería next door. You don't get much more local than that.

The chips were fried in olive oil. If you've never experienced that, you have something wonderful ahead of you.

A Spanish family from Lucena were sitting at the next table — parents, grandparents, and several lively young boys on a day trip. They struck up conversation in English, which was charming. When they left, one boy of about ten turned to my girlfriend and said, quite seriously: "Goodbye, pretty." I'm not sure I've had her full attention since.

Back at the table, the homemade mint sauce came out of her bag — she'd brought the jar from home. This isn't the sharp, vinegary English condiment you might know — or rather, it is, but it's made with red wine vinegar and a splash of balsamic, which gives it a depth that malt vinegar simply doesn't. If you want to go further down the homemade mint sauce rabbit hole, my Nearly Colman's Mint Sauce is worth a look.

Homemade Mint Sauce

Makes one jar

Ingredients

• Big bunch of fresh mint leaves
• 200ml red wine vinegar
• 30ml balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Method

Rinse the mint leaves and divide them in two. Roughly chop half by hand. Blitz the remainder in a blender with some of the vinegar — this helps with both infusion and a smoother finish.

Bring the vinegars to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the sugar and all the mint. Simmer for around 20 minutes, or until everything has married up nicely, adding a little water if the sauce tightens too much.

Taste, adjust, and spoon into a jar. It'll keep in the fridge and it goes beautifully with lamb.

FOOTNOTE

This recipe – chuletillas de cordero – Spanish lamb chops with homemade mint sauce – is part of the Lamb & Goat Hub — a collection of lamb and goat recipes from Casa Adora and the road. Explore the full collection.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef.