Free Good Cook by Simon Hopkinson Page A

slowly, beat together while very, very slowly trickling in the olive oil. Once the mixture is becoming very thick, add a little lemon juice. Continue beating, adding the oil a little faster and speeding up the beating speed.Taste the mayonnaise as you continue beating, and add a touch more lemon juice and more seasoning as you think necessary. Once you are happy with the flavor and texture—which should be almost ointment-like—the garlic mayonnaise is ready. Put to one side while you cook the lamb.
    Have ready 3 shallow bowls filled with the following: flour, beaten egg and dry breadcrumbs. Take a solid frying pan (non-stick, if you prefer) and in it melt a tablespoon or so of the chosen fat—you may need more—then heat it to medium-hot. First, lightly season the lamb, then dust each slice with flour, then dip it into beaten egg and, finally, coat in the breadcrumbs. Shake off any excess and slide into the frying pan. Keeping the heat moderate, but quietly sizzling, allow one side to become a pale, golden brown before carefully turning over and doing the same to the other side. Lift out on to paper towels, place the slices on warmed plates and serve the garlic mayonnaise in a bowl on the side. Some cool and sprightly watercress would be good here.

grilled lamb cutlets with minted hollandaise
    serves 2
    for the minted hollandaise
    3 tbsp white wine vinegar
    3 tbsp water
    1 small shallot, finely chopped
    leaves from a small bunch of mint
    3 egg yolks
    2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
    salt and freshly ground white pepper
    a touch of lemon juice
    1 rack of lamb, French-trimmed; that is, bones scraped clean and excess fat removed
    salt and pepper
    a little oil
    I first made this lovely sauce when working in west Wales in the early 1970s. We had been making its cousin, béarnaise sauce, for as long as we could remember and wanted to ring the changes. After much exhaustive book reading, we finally came across something known as “sauce paloise.” Heaven knows its origins, or in which cookbook we found it, but it seemed a must to serve with the delicious local Welsh lamb from the butcher in St David’s.
    I have chosen to simply call it “minted hollandaise,” rather than “sauce paloise” (or “mint béarnaise,” because of the essential tarragon in that sauce), mainly because it won’t mean anything to anyone; well, maybe to a few dedicated sauce aficionados, but not in the general lexicon of culinary lotions.
    Note: if you wish to use the traditional method for making hollandaise sauce, see the recipe for Smoked Haddock and Spinach with Chive Butter Sauce ( page 107 ).
    First make the sauce. Put the vinegar, water, the shallot and two-thirds of the mint leaves, chopped, into a small, stainless steel pan. Reduce over a moderate heat until syrupy. Strain this mixture through a fine sieve into the bowl of a small food processor. Add the egg yolks, switch on and process until airy and pale. Heat thebutter until quite hot and bubbling (use a small pan with a lip, to aid pouring), then, with the motor running, slowly pour in the butter until the sauce has become thick, as with making mayonnaise; you may like to add a touch of the milky residue underneath the clear butter, as this processor method usually makes a thicker than usual sauce. Season lightly and add the remaining mint leaves. Briefly process once more, until the machine has chopped the leaves finely into the sauce. Squeeze in a touch of lemon juice, to taste. Pour into a sauceboat and keep warm.
    Cut the rack of lamb into 6 cutlets, if small, and usually 8, if large. Lightly season them and brush with oil. Using a ribbed, stove-top grill (or a heavy, solid-based frying pan) on a high heat, grill the cutlets on each side for 2–3 minutes (medium-rare), 3–4 minutes (medium), and for about 5 minutes if you wish them to be medium-well to well done. Leave to rest for a few minutes before serving with the sauce. And chips—whichever way you like to make