Charred chops over mustardy lentils — the bistro order, made at home

Walk into any honest bistro in France and there'll be lamb with lentils somewhere on the board. It works because the two halves trade favours — earthy lentils soak up the lamb's resting juices, and a sharp Dijon dressing cuts the richness of a properly charred chop. The lentils simmer away on their own for twenty-five minutes while you see to the chops, so the timing looks after itself. Hearty without being heavy, smart enough for guests, and most of it comes from the pantry.

45 mins 4 servings Prep 15 minsCook 30 minsMain CourseFrench

Ingredients

  • 4 Your Farmer grass-fed lamb chump chops
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (for the chops)
  • 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves finely chopped (for the chops)
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • 250g French-style green lentils, rinsed (for the salad)
  • 1 bay leaf (for the salad)
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole (for the salad)
  • 1 eschalot, finely chopped (for the dressing)
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard (for the dressing)
  • 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar (for the dressing)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil (for the dressing)
  • Small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped (for the salad)

Instructions

For the lentils

Simmer the lentils with the bay leaf and whole garlic clove in plenty of water for 20–25 minutes, until just tender with a little bite. Drain, discard the bay leaf and keep the soft garlic clove.

250g green lentils1 bay leaf1 clove garlic

Meanwhile, whisk the eschalot, Dijon, vinegar and olive oil in a large bowl, mashing the reserved garlic clove into the dressing.

1 eschalot2 tsp Dijon mustard1½ tbsp red wine vinegar3 tbsp olive oil

Tip the warm, drained lentils into the dressing, toss with the parsley and season generously — warm lentils drink up flavour, so taste and be bold.

flat-leaf parsley

For the chops

While the lentils simmer, rub the chops with the oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

4 chump chops1 tbsp olive oil2 sprigs rosemary

Heat a grill pan over high heat until smoking. Stand the chops on their fat edge for 2 minutes, then cook 4–5 minutes per side for medium.

Rest the chops for 5 minutes, loosely covered.

Serve the chops whole or thickly sliced over the warm lentils, tipping every drop of resting juice into the salad.

Appears in

Lamb Share B only — Chump Chops (4 pack)

Your Farmer CSA grass-fed lamb share — Pack B selection of pasture-raised lamb cuts, vacuum-sealed, NSW & ACT delivery
CSA Pastured Lamb Share
Sale price From $150.00Regular price $162.41

Why Lamb and Lentils Belong Together

The chump is the meatiest chop on the lamb — cut from where the loin runs into the leg, thick and generous, with enough fat to char properly in a screaming-hot grill pan. That char is doing real work here. Lentils are earthy and mild, and they need something bold pushed up against them; the caramelised crust and rich resting juices of a grilled chump chop are exactly that something. French cooks have paired the two for generations because each fixes the other's weakness — the lentils keep the plate honest, the lamb keeps it interesting. Your Farmer® chump chops come four to a pack in Share B of the pasture-raised lamb share, and when people ask what to look for in grass-fed lamb online, a cut like this — flavour first, price sensible — is a fair place to start.

Swaps and Variations

French-style green lentils (or true Puy) hold their shape; red lentils collapse into soup, so steer clear here. In a pinch, two rinsed tins of brown lentils warmed through with the dressing turn this into a 20-minute dinner. Crumbled feta or goat's cheese over the top is a worthy addition, as is a handful of baby spinach folded through while the lentils are hot. Loin chops swap in with a minute less per side, and the whole dish works just as well with a thick beef rump steak when it's a beef-box week.

Storage and Leftovers

The dressed lentils keep 4 days in the fridge and might be better cold than warm — they're a ready-made lunch with a boiled egg or tinned tuna. Cooked chops keep 3 days; slice them cold over the leftover lentils rather than reheating, which pushes them past their best. The lentils don't freeze well once dressed, but undressed cooked lentils freeze fine for a month. And if this becomes a rotation regular — it tends to — the standalone chump chop four-pack keeps it going between boxes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use tinned lentils to save time?

Yes — rinse and drain two 400g tins of brown lentils and warm them briefly in a pan before tossing with the dressing. The texture is softer than home-cooked green lentils but the dish still works.

Which lentils hold their shape best?

French-style green lentils or genuine Puy lentils — they stay firm and nutty at 20–25 minutes. Avoid red or yellow split lentils, which break down into a purée within minutes.

Can I make the lentil salad ahead?

Yes, up to 2 days ahead — it actually improves as the dressing soaks in. Serve it at room temperature or warm it gently, and refresh with a splash more vinegar and fresh parsley before serving.

How do I know the chops are medium?

They should feel springy, not soft, when pressed with tongs — or 60–63°C on a thermometer after their 5-minute rest. Pull them from the pan at about 57°C and the rest does the rest.

0 commentson Grilled Chump Chops with Warm Lentil Salad

Three Simple Steps

A whole table of real food.

Your Farmers grow grass-fed beef and lamb, pastured eggs and the best eco-grown veggies and produce — every item grown to the same ecological standard, every farmer one you can know by name. One subscription, your whole real-food shop.

01

Reserve your share — or try a pack

Subscribe to a share of the harvest, or start with a one-off fixed pack.

02

Make it your own

Pick your delivery rhythm and what's in the box. Skip or cancel anytime — no lock-in.

03

Cook, savour, know your farmer

We deliver in a reusable esky we collect next time. No couriers, no waste.

5.0
Vendor:Your Farmer

CSA Grass Fed Beef Share

Value $169.99
Price $152.00
Vendor:Your Farmer

CSA Pastured Lamb Share

Value $162.41
Price $150.00
Vendor:Your Farmer

"Tucker Box" Budget Beef Pack

Value $196.38
Price $186.00
Vendor:Your Farmer

“Steak King” Premium Beef Box

Value $157.43
Price $149.00
Vendor:Your Farmer

Grass-Fed Beef Sausages, Mince and Diced (SMD) Bundle Pack

Value $272.82
Price $218.00
Vendor:Your Farmer

"Mixed Grill King" Combo

Value $273.56
Price $260.00
Vendor:Your Farmer

"Slow King Beef" Combo

Value $147.43
Price $140.00
Vendor:Your Farmer

"Slow King Lamb" Combo

Value $147.43
Price $140.00
Vendor:Your Farmer

Bulk Grass-Fed Beef - Cut-up Your Way

Price $1,048.00
Vendor:Your Farmer

Bulk Pastured Full Lamb - Cut-up Your Way

Price $495.00

More Recipes

View all

Greek-style grass-fed lamb roast with lemon and oregano served over golden potatoes in a ceramic baking dish.

Greek-Style Lamb Roast with Lemon and Oregano

Lemon, oregano and time — the Greek family-table treatment for the whole cut

Every Greek family has a version of this and none of them are wrong. Garlic, dried oregano and lemon get worked deep into the lamb, potatoes go underneath to catch everything that falls, and the oven runs slow enough that nobody has to watch it. What comes out isn't pink, carve-at-the-table lamb — it's the other thing entirely: golden on top, giving underneath, with lemony potatoes that half the table will fight over harder than the meat. It's Sunday cooking from a country that takes Sundays seriously.

Read moreabout Greek-Style Lamb Roast with Lemon and Oregano

Low-and-slow barbecued grass-fed lamb ribs with a dry-rub bark, sliced on butcher's paper.

Low-and-Slow BBQ Lamb Ribs with Dry Rub

Paprika, brown sugar, patience — American barbecue discipline meets Australian lamb

This is the recipe for the day you've decided the barbecue is the afternoon's entertainment, not just the cooking appliance. No foil, no shortcuts: a paprika and brown sugar rub, a hooded barbecue held low around 140C, and three or so unhurried hours while the fat renders, the spice sets into proper bark and the smell slowly takes over the street. Lamb ribs suit the American low-and-slow treatment better than most people expect — they're smaller and fattier than pork ribs, so you get all the bark in less time. Pour something cold. This one's a sit-outside recipe.

Read moreabout Low-and-Slow BBQ Lamb Ribs with Dry Rub

Grilled grass-fed lamb chump chops sliced over a warm French-style lentil salad with mustard dressing.

Grilled Chump Chops with Warm Lentil Salad

Charred chops over mustardy lentils — the bistro order, made at home

Walk into any honest bistro in France and there'll be lamb with lentils somewhere on the board. It works because the two halves trade favours — earthy lentils soak up the lamb's resting juices, and a sharp Dijon dressing cuts the richness of a properly charred chop. The lentils simmer away on their own for twenty-five minutes while you see to the chops, so the timing looks after itself. Hearty without being heavy, smart enough for guests, and most of it comes from the pantry.

Read moreabout Grilled Chump Chops with Warm Lentil Salad