When you have friends coming at 7pm and you finish work at 5ish – these lamb cutlets are the answer

July 22, 2024

Serve with mashed potatoes and fennel to make an elegant but simple meal.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

Black olives, capers, thyme and anchovies make a traditional French tapenade. Here, though, I’m mixing it into soft butter instead of olive oil to make this perfectly complementary, creamy “sauce” for grilled lamb. Combine with mashed potatoes and fennel to make an elegant but simple meal that’s easy enough to whip up midweek but also special enough to serve if you’re entertaining.

Ingredients

1kg lamb cutlets
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE BLACK OLIVE BUTTER

100g butter, brought to room temperature
50g pitted black olives
15g salted capers, rinsed
4 anchovy fillets
2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
zest of ½ a lemon (juice reserved)

FOR THE MASHED FENNEL AND POTATO

600g washed and peeled potatoes
500g fennel bulb (about 2 bulbs)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

Step 1
Preheat an indoor or outdoor grill to high. Brush the lamb cutlets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides and set aside.
Step 2
For the butter, combine all the ingredients in a small food processor and process until the olives are evenly chopped and everything is evenly mixed. Set aside.
Step 3
Dice the potatoes into 3-4cm chunks and do the same with the fennel. Combine the fennel and the potato in a medium-sized pot and just cover with water. Season with salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are completely tender. Drain. Return the fennel and potato to the pot and add the olive oil. Crush roughly with a spoon and taste for seasoning. Adjust with salt as needed.
Step 4
Place the olive butter on a warm plate or tray and set aside. Grill the lamb cutlets on high heat for approximately 2 minutes per side. Rest them on top of the butter for about a minute and then flip them around in it so they become evenly coated. Squeeze the reserved lemon juice over the cutlets and serve them on top of a hot spoonful of fennel and potato mash.