Clodagh McKenna’s spiced lamb cutlets with caponata

The most delicious — and easiest — way to enjoy spring lamb is with a crust of aromatic garlic, fennel seeds and lemon. I love serving these crispy-skinned cutlets with caponata, a Sicilian mix of aubergines, celery, olives, with raisins that get plump and juicy from tomatoes and salty from capers. It’s a versatile recipe, just as good with roast chicken or hake, or wrapped through a pasta.

One for your diaries next week is the visit of Parisian pâtissier Yann Couvreur, who will take over Claridge’s pastry kitchen from Tuesday until Sunday, May 12. He brings with him a new “Elevenses” menu featuring his Instagram-famous creations, including the Paris-Brest as well as his celebrated chocolate tonka bean éclair. 

Claridge’s, incidentally, is where this week I ate the best dish I’ve had all year, a sweet, creamy, juicy lobster Wellington. I was there to celebrate the hotel’s magazine, which has just published a special food edition. The night started with a dirty martini in the discreet art deco bar, the Fumoir, before we tucked into that beautiful lobster. If you’re going to treat yourself to fine dining, do it here. 

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 whole garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds, crushed
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 8 lamb cutlets

For the caponata

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 aubergines, diced
• 2 shallots, diced
• 3 large plum tomatoes
• 2 sticks of celery, diced
• 10g capers
• 20 pitted black olives
• 50g raisins
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Method 

1. To make the caponata, pour three tablespoons of oil into a large heavy based saucepan or casserole dish, place over a medium heat and add the aubergines. Cook for 15 minutes until soft. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, followed by the shallots and cook for a further five minutes. Then stir in the tomatoes and cook slowly, so they break down and turn to a mush. Next stir in the capers, raisins, olives, celery, dried oregano, vinegar, tomato purée, season and cover with a lid. Cook over a low heat for 20 minutes until all the vegetables are soft. Stir gently so it doesn’t break up too much.

2. While the caponata is cooking, make the marinade for the lamb cutlets. Mix the olive oil, fennel seeds, garlic and lemon juice in a bowl and season. Then place the lamb cutlets in the bowl and rub the mixture into the meat. Set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.

3. Place a griddle or frying pan over a medium/high heat. Cook the cutlets on each side for four minutes.

4. Once the cutlets and caponata are both cooked, serve on warmed plates.