Rosemary-scented trenched lamb

The best thing about this recipe is that all the work is done the night before. It used to be a regular treat whenever we were on holiday. While we drove, it would sit in its marinade jogging around in the back of the car, until a suitable picnic spot was found. The chargrilled lamb was absolute heaven with a bottle of red wine, salad, bread and cheese.

Cut the racks into eight portions, each consisting of two linked chops, and tie a rosemary sprig to each one. Lay them in a single layer in a bowl. Mix the garlic, oil and verjuice or wine, and pour over the lamb, cover and chill overnight, turning them as often as possible.

Bring the lamb to room temperature 1 hour before cooking. Prepare the barbecue. Remove the lamb from the marinade, and discard the marinade. Season the meat 15 minutes before cooking. Once the flames have died down, position a lightly oiled grill rack over the coals to heat. When the coals are medium-hot, or with a moderate coating of ash, stand the lamb chops upright on the rack, propping them against each other. Cover with a lid or tented heavy-duty foil and grill for 2 minutes. Carefully turn on to one side, and grill for a further 4 minutes each side for rare meat or 5 minutes if you prefer lamb medium cooked. Remove the chops from the grill, cover and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4-8
2 x 8-chop racks of lamb, French trimmed
8 large fresh rosemary sprigs
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
90ml/6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
30ml/2 tbsp verjuice or red wine
Salt and ground black pepper