Crumbed Lamb Cutlets with Caper Mayonnaise
Servings: 4
For fans of crumbed foods, you have to try this Crumbed Lamb Cutlets with Caper Mayonnaise recipe next time you are entertaining. This impressive-looking dish only takes 20 minutes, but can be made ahead of time if you need. The crunchy crumb-coated lamb is served with a caper mayonnaise, which makes the perfect pairing.
Ingredients
CAPER MAYONNAISE
- 250 g whole-egg mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp finely chopped capers
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- sea salt flakes, to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
LAMB
- 12 lamb cutlets (lamb rib chops), trimmed (see note 1)
- 75 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to finish
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 180 g panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp thyme leaves (can be substituted with flat-leaf parsley, or simply omitted)
- 2 eggs, whisked,
- oil, for frying (see note 2)
- 4 wedges lemon, to serve
Instructions
- To make the caper mayonnaise, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Lay the lamb cutlets flat on a chopping board and cover them with a sheet of baking (parchment) paper. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound the cutlets to roughly a 1 cm (½ inch) thickness.
- To crumb the cutlets, place the flour on a piece of baking paper, then stir the salt and pepper through the flour. Add the breadcrumbs and thyme (if using) to a separate sheet of baking paper (using the baking paper makes clean-up easier and aids in crumbing the cutlets, as you can tip the paper up so the crumbs collect in the centre of the paper).
- One by one, dip each of the cutlets into the flour, shaking off any excess, followed by the egg, allowing any excess to drip off, and lastly into the breadcrumbs so that they are well coated all over. Don't worry too much about coating the bone, focus more on the meat.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Cook the cutlets, in batches, for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Set aside on a paper towel to drain any excess fat.
- Serve the crumbed cutlets on a large platter with an extra sprinkle of salt flakes and the caper mayonnaise and lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
Note 1 – What are trimmed lamb cutlets (lamb rib chops)? A trimmed lamb cutlet has the majority of the fat removed, including off the bone. You can buy trimmed lamb cutlets from your butcher and from some supermarkets, but they are a lot more expensive. I buy regular, untrimmed cutlets and do it myself by cutting as much fat as I can from the sides of the lamb cutlet. I then run my knife along the bone, removing any excess fat from there also. It doesn't need to be perfect and you can absolutely choose to leave the fat on if you wish.
Note 2 – A high smoke point oil (such as canola/rapeseed or vegetable oil) is best for deep-frying. The oil in the pan needs to be at least 1.5 cm (½ inch) deep. Olive oil can be used to shallow-fry. Use 3–4 tablespoons of oil and cook as per the recipe, turning the lamb once. Using this method, the breadcrumb coating will not be as even in colour.
MAKE AHEAD
Crumbed Lamb Cutlets are the perfect recipe to make ahead of time. Crumb the lamb cutlets as per the recipe. Refrigerate the uncooked cutlets for up to 2 days, and freeze for up to 2 months. Store in an airtight container or reusable sandwich bag. Use baking (parchment) paper between the layers of lamb cutlets to stop them from sticking. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge. Cook as per the recipe. The caper mayonnaise can be made ahead of time too. Prepare it as per the recipe and refrigerate it an an airtight container for up to 3 days.LEFTOVERS
For best results, Crumbed Lamb Cutlets are best made and eaten immediately but leftovers will not go to waste! Refrigerate leftover cooked Crumbed Lamb Cutlets for up to 2 days. The coating will soften once the lamb is reheated but the flavour will be equally delicious. Refrigerate any leftover caper mayonnaise leftovers for up to 3 days.Scan for full recipe:
