Lamb Cutlets Polenta

SERVES 4

The cutlets may be served wit soft polenta or couscous but polenta cakes add an interesting texture contrast. These may be prepared well in advance and cooked just before serving.

Ingredients

  • 12 lamb cutlets

Chermoula

  • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh coriander
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Good pinch dried chilli flakes (more or less, to taste)
  • ½ cup Nuggetty Creek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
  • Finely chopped rind of ½ preserved lemon (optional)

Polenta Cakes

  • 6 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 250g fine polenta (available at supermarkets)
  • Coarse pepper
  • ¼ cup finely shredder parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons Nuggetty Creek Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

Trim cutlets of excess fat and place into a shallow ceramic dish.
Thoroughly mix together all remaining ingredients for chermoula.
Spoon half the chermoula mixture over the cutlets, cover and marinate for 30 minutes. Cover remaining chermoula and refrigerate until required.
(Prepare polenta cakes which cutlets are marinating.)

Remove cutlets from marinade, cook in a preheated clam-shell grill or on a grill pan over moderate heat until cooked but still pink. Arrange precooked polenta cakes on individual plates, place cutlets on top and spoon over remaining chermoula. Serve at once with Turkish bread and a small bowl of olive oil.

To prepare polenta cakes, bring salted water to a fast boil, in a large non-stick saucepan. Add the polenta gradually, stirring constantly to prevent lumps forming. Mix until it is quite smooth. Reduce heat and simmer very gently until polenta pulls away from the sides of the saucepan – this will take up to 30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the pepper and olive oil and spoon into oiled baking tin, smoothing surface. When cool, cut into 8cm rounds and set aside. To cook, brush lavishly with olive oil, grill or dry-fry in a pan until golden. Serve with cutlets and chermoula, as above.

A light red wine or a chilled sauvignon blanc, voignier or pinot gris would all happily accompany this meal.