Stuffed lamb cutlets
Recipe byValentina Harris
SERVES 4-6
Preparation 30 minutes plus 2 hours standing
Cooking 45 minutes
2 racks of lamb, French trimmed with all fat removed
2 slices of Parma ham, cut into 14 small pieces
small handful fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
14 slices (3cm x 1.5cm) of Pecorino, or even Emmental
2 eggs, beaten, seasoned with salt and pepper
3 slices day old bread made into breadcrumbs
olive oil to fry
for the potatoes
6 large or 12 small peeled potatoes, cut into cherry-sized cubes
8 cloves garlic, unpeeled and whole
1 lemon, cut into 8 pieces, and the juice of ½ lemon
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, broken into pieces
8 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Drop the potatoes into a bowl of cold water and stand for at least 2 hours. Drain, rinse and dry thoroughly. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas Mark 6. Put the potato cubes in a metal roasting tin, add the garlic, the lemon pieces and juice, rosemary and seasoning. Mix together with your hands, then add the oil and mix again. Sprinkle with salt and roast for 40-45 minutes, shaking the tin and turning the potatoes twice as they cook.
For the lamb, put the eggs and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Using a heavy knife, carefully chop the lamb into cutlets – you should have 14 at the end. Trim off any fat before carefully butterflying almost to the bone. Open up each cutlet and place a slice of cheese, ham and a small sprinkling of thyme inside, then close up, dip in the egg and then the breadcrumbs to coat.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat. In batches, fry the breaded cutlets until golden on both sides – 2 minutes per side for pink meat, 3 minutes per side for almost well done. The cheese should have melted releasing the flavour of the ham and thyme. The potatoes should be crisp and golden.
