Kind of like a pub lunch, but better! We cannot get enough of these peppered lamb cutlets with Béarnaise sauce and baby peas.
Peppered lamb cutlets with Béarnaise sauce and baby peas
Ingredients
Cutlets
- 4 – 5 loin lamb cutlets (tailless) per person
- black pepper, coarsely ground
- 15ml (1 tbsp) butter
- salt, to taste
Béarnaise sauce
- 1 small bunch fresh French tarragon
- 45ml (3 tbsp) white wine
- tarragon vinegar
- 30ml (2 tbsp) dry white wine
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 large egg yolks
- 250g unsalted butter, cut into
- small pieces
- salt, freshly ground black pepper and
- lemon juice, to taste
Baby peas
- 30ml (2 tbsp) butter
- 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut
- into small pieces
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 100g butter lettuce, shredded
- 400g – 500g fresh baby peas
- 5ml (1 tsp) white sugar
- 90ml (6 tbsp) vegetable or chicken stock
- 15ml (1 tbsp) cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the lamb cutlets
Liberally cover the cutlets with the crushed black pepper.
Fry gently in butter, according to your preference.
Let the chops rest for 2 minutes then season with the salt and serve hot with the Béarnaise sauce and peas.
For the Béarnaise sauce
Pull the leaves from the tarragon sprigs and set to one side.
Put the tarragon stalks in a small saucepan with the vinegar, wine, shallots, peppercorns and bay leaf. Bring to the boil and then simmer until half of the liquid has evaporated.
Strain the liquid, discard the leaves and spices, and set aside to cool.
Place a bowl over a pan of just-boiled water to make a bain-marie. Add the egg yolks and infused vinegar to the bainmarie and whisk over very low heat until the eggs have thickened. Add the butter, a little at a time, whisking continuously. Do not let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble.
Adjust seasoning and lemon to taste and add the chopped tarragon leaves. The sauce can be kept warm in a bainmarie until required but must not be reheated once it has cooled.
For the baby peas
Melt the butter, add the bacon and cook for one minute. Add the shallot and cook until softened.
Add the lettuce to the pan and stir-fry for a minute. Add the peas, sugar and stock. Cook until the peas are just tender.
Finish by adding fresh cream. Season to taste and serve immediately.
