Skye Gyngell // Grilled lamb cutlets with asparagus, horseradish and salsa verde  

Little lamb cutlets are delicious griddled or barbecued and cooked on the barbecue they are packed with flavour. Here they’re served with asparagus that can also be griddled over the coals. All the preparation can be done ahead and then it’s just a few minutes on the barbecue to create a stunning dish. 

Serves 4
12-16 little lamb cutlets
A little extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 asparagus spears

For the salsa verde
1 tsp. of toasted, ground cumin seeds
A bunch of mint, leaves only
A bunch of basil, leaves only
A bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves only
A bunch of rocket
1/2 tbsp. of Dijon mustard
2 anchovies
1/2 tbsp. of capers
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. of red wine vinegar
200mls of extra virgin olive oil

Horseradish cream
2 inches of fresh horseradish root grated
1 tbsp. of red wine vinegar
A pinch of sea salt
180mls of creme fraîche

To make the salsa verde

Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Pour in the oil slowly through the funnel in the top. You should have a sludgy, vibrant green sauce. Set aside until ready to use.

To make the horseradish cream 

Place the grated horseradish into a bowl and pour over the red wine vinegar. Season with salt. Stir in the creme fraîche and place in the fridge until ready to use.

Place a large pot of well salted water on to boil. Trim the woody ends of the asparagus. 

To make the lamb 

Lay the lamb cutlets on a board. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper and brush with oil.  Heat the barbecue or a griddle pan until smoking, and cook the cutlets 1-2 mins per side.

While the cutlets are cooking blanch the asparagus by dropping it into the boiling, well salted water. Cook for 40 seconds – it should still have a nice bite. Alternatively, griddle on the barbecue alongside the meat.

Remove the cutlets from the grill and squeeze over the lemon juice. Let rest for a few minutes to allow the meat to relax.

To serve
This is a real star of a dish so invest in the prep so you can simply griddle the lamb and serve on the day. 
Arrange the cutlets and asparagus on a serving plate, spoon over the salsa verde and serve the horseradish cream alongside.  

Wine Match
Choose a red that works in summer and well placed for lamb; The Unexpected Red is an offbeat blend of three classics; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo with Sagrantino, which work together to create a smooth and full-bodied wine that is a rich, deep blood-red garnet colour with flavours of blackcurrant, bright cherry and hints of spice and violet. It’s in selected Co-op stores and inexpensive at £6.75 

Tips
Make sure your meat is room temperature before you cook it – meat cooked straight from the fridge will take a lot longer.
It’s really important to allow meat to rest once it is cooked – it will have a much better textures and flavour.
The horseradish cream can be made the day before but salsa verde is best made on the day of eating as the herbs will keep their flavour a lot better.
Both Horseradish cream and salsa verde are incredibly versatile and can be used to brighten and flavour vegetables, fish and meat.