Give your family the royal treatment with Mpumalanga-born foodie Ella Mthethwa’s yummy lamb chops and roasted potatoes fresh from the garden.

Lamb chops will always be a winner on Mzansi’s table’s. They are scrumptious and bring a little variety in the typical rotation of chicken, beef, and pork.
Showing off her culinary skills, Mthethwa shares her recipe for BBQ-basted lamb chops and roasted potatoes that are sure to be a hit on you dinner table. It is perfect for a Sunday lunch or to just enjoy any time you want to treat your loved ones.
Quick cooking and tender lamb chops pairs well, and combined with different flavour combinations of herbs and spices, it will leave you wanting more. Showing off what she is blessed with, Mthethwa opts for BBQ flavours to make the juiciest chops.
Finding food love in the garden
What do gardeners and chefs have in common? A shared appreciation for food of course, says Mthethwa.
She swopped her love for plants, working as a horticulturalist, to pursue her dreams of becoming a culinary queen. Mthethwa is the owner of her very own catering company called Angela’s Kitchen and Events Management.
“I’ve always loved to be in the kitchen since I was a teenager. My best memories as a child are when I used to assist my mom preparing Sunday lunch before we went to church.”
Mthethwa’s passion for cooking was revived when she ended up working for Emperors Palace in Johannesburg as a trainee chef. “Cooking is my passion. I never went to any culinary school. It’s a God-given talent,” she says.
Try her lamb recipe
Mthethwa is always comfy in the kitchen. “I wear safety shoes, stilettos won’t work for me.”
Although she cooks for a living, Mthethwa’s favourite dishes includes roasts, curries and African cuisine – except chicken feet. When it comes to cooking good food, she firmly believes that you should keep it simple and plan ahead.
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Ingredients
- 1kg lamb chops
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup sticky BBQ marinade
- Few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- 1kg potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Instructions
1. For meat: Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Place meat in baking tray. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
3. Baste with BBQ marinade.
4. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes.
5. For potatoes: Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
6. Rinse potatoes, put them in a bowl.
7. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
8. Put in an oven proof dish. Cover with tinfoil and roast until they are golden brown. Enjoy!






