Herb & Garlic Lamb Cutlets with Dauphinoise Potatoes, Charred Asparagus & Green Herb Purée

Herb and garlic lamb cutlets with dauphinoise potatoes, charred asparagus, green herb purée and red wine jus

Herb & Garlic Lamb Cutlets with Dauphinoise Potatoes, Charred Asparagus & Green Herb Purée

Restaurant-style herb and garlic lamb cutlets served with golden dauphinoise potatoes, charred asparagus, fresh green herb purée and a glossy red wine jus.

Course Main Course

Cuisine European, Modern British

Keyword Charred Asparagus, Dauphinoise Potatoes, Dinner Party Recipe, Lamb Cutlets Recipe, Nicol Retailer recipes

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 1050

Author Nicol Retailer Limited

Ingredients

Herb & Garlic Lamb

8 French-trimmed lamb cutlets
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic finely grated
1 tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon zest
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
25 g unsalted butter

Dauphinoise Potatoes

800 g Maris Piper potatoes very thinly sliced
250 ml double cream
150 ml whole milk
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
40 g Parmesan finely grated
20 g unsalted butter
sea salt to taste
white pepper to taste

Charred Asparagus

Green Herb Purée

150 g frozen peas
100 g fresh spinach
15 g fresh parsley
10 g fresh mint
20 g unsalted butter
50 ml vegetable stock
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
sea salt to taste
white pepper to taste

Red Wine Jus

1 shallot finely chopped
150 ml red wine
250 ml lamb or beef stock
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh thyme
15 g cold unsalted butter

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Instructions

Prepare the Dauphinoise

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Warm the cream and milk with the crushed garlic and thyme without boiling.
Butter a baking dish and layer in the potatoes, seasoning lightly between layers. Pour over the infused cream mixture, top with Parmesan and bake for 45–50 minutes until completely tender and golden.
Cool slightly, then cut into neat individual rectangles for serving.

Make the Green Herb Purée

Cook the peas and spinach briefly until tender. Drain thoroughly, then blend with parsley, mint, butter, vegetable stock and lemon juice until smooth. Season with salt and white pepper.

Make the Red Wine Jus

Soften the shallot gently in a saucepan. Add the red wine and thyme and reduce by about two-thirds.
Add the stock and Worcestershire sauce and simmer until glossy and concentrated. Strain, remove from the heat and whisk in the cold butter.

Cook the Lamb

Mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, Dijon mustard and lemon zest. Rub over the lamb cutlets and leave for about 20 minutes.
Heat a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb for 2–3 minutes per side, add the butter and baste until cooked to your preferred doneness. Rest for 5–8 minutes.

Char the Asparagus and Serve

Char the asparagus in a very hot pan with olive oil until tender with dark edges. Finish with lemon juice and sea salt.
Swipe the green herb purée across each plate, arrange the lamb cutlets over it, add dauphinoise and asparagus, then spoon the red wine jus around the lamb.

Notes

For the best Herb & Garlic Lamb Cutlets, bring the lamb close to room temperature before cooking and pat the surface dry. A dry surface helps the cutlets develop a deeper, more appetising crust.

Season the lamb generously just before cooking, then sear in a properly hot pan. Avoid moving the cutlets too frequently; leaving them undisturbed for the first couple of minutes helps create better caramelisation.

Fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley, garlic and lemon zest work especially well with lamb because they add fragrance without masking the flavour of the meat. Use the herb mixture as a light coating rather than a heavy paste.

For juicier lamb, use a meat thermometer and avoid overcooking. Once cooked, rest the cutlets for at least 5 minutes before serving so the juices can redistribute through the meat.

When preparing the dauphinoise potatoes, slice the potatoes as evenly as possible so they cook at the same rate. A mandoline is useful for achieving thin, consistent slices and a more professional layered finish.

For the green herb purée, cook the peas and spinach only briefly. Overcooking can dull the colour and make the purée taste flat. Blend while still warm and finish with fresh mint, parsley and lemon juice for a bright, fresh flavour.

Char the asparagus over high heat and keep it slightly firm. The contrast between tender lamb, creamy dauphinoise and crisp-charred asparagus makes the dish more balanced and visually appealing.

For a restaurant-style presentation, keep the red wine jus around the lamb rather than pouring it over the whole plate. This preserves the crisp exterior of the cutlets and keeps each component distinct.

Vegan Variation

For a vegan version, replace the lamb cutlets with thick king oyster mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, aubergine steaks or plant-based cutlets.

Marinate them with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, Dijon mustard and lemon zest, then grill or pan-sear until deeply caramelised.

For the dauphinoise potatoes, replace:

double cream with unsweetened oat or soya cream
whole milk with unsweetened plant milk
butter with plant-based butter
Parmesan with a vegan hard-cheese alternative or nutritional yeast

For the red wine jus, use a rich vegetable or mushroom stock and ensure the Worcestershire-style sauce is vegan.

The green herb purée and asparagus can remain largely unchanged, using plant-based butter where required.

Gluten-Free Variation

The recipe is naturally close to gluten-free, but some prepared ingredients should be checked carefully.

Use:

certified gluten-free Dijon mustard
certified gluten-free stock
gluten-free Worcestershire-style sauce
gluten-free Parmesan or cheese alternative if using a processed product

The lamb, potatoes, asparagus, peas, spinach, herbs, butter, cream and fresh vegetables are naturally gluten-free.

If cooking for someone with coeliac disease, also avoid cross-contamination from shared utensils, chopping boards, frying pans and storage containers.

Vegan & Gluten-Free Variation

Use grilled king oyster mushrooms, portobello mushrooms or a suitable gluten-free plant-based cutlet in place of the lamb.

Prepare the dauphinoise with plant-based cream, plant milk, vegan butter and a gluten-free vegan cheese alternative or nutritional yeast.

Use certified gluten-free vegetable or mushroom stock, Dijon mustard and vegan Worcestershire-style sauce.

This keeps the same flavour structure of garlic, herbs, creamy potato, green purée and charred vegetables, while making the dish suitable for both vegan and gluten-free diets.

Nutrition