Charred lamb cutlets with a vibrant herb salsa verde and burnt lemon — modern Australian fire cooking at home.
⭐Inspired by Curtis Stone · 🇦🇺 AustraliaThis recipe is inspired by Chef Curtis Stone's Beverly Hills restaurants Maude (two Michelin stars) and Gwen, where wood-fired meats are central to the menu. Stone's modern Australian style is seasonal, ingredient-led and lightly Mediterranean — heavily influenced by his eight years training under Marco Pierre White in London. This dish captures his approach: simple lamb chops, hard-charred over high heat, finished with a bright herbaceous salsa verde and burnt lemon for contrast.
Serves 4
Toss the cutlets with olive oil, rosemary, smashed garlic, half the salt and the pepper. Rest at room temperature for 20 minutes — never cook lamb cold.
Pulse parsley, mint, basil, capers, anchovies and 1 clove garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add mustard, vinegar and olive oil and pulse to a chunky sauce. Season — don't oversalt; the capers and anchovies are already salty.
Heat your barbecue, plancha or heavy skillet to maximum heat. Grease lightly. The pan should be smoking — anything less and the lamb won't char.
Place the cutlets on the heat in a single layer. Don't move for 90 seconds — let them develop a deep char. Flip and grill another 90 seconds for medium-rare (54°C internal). Add the lemon halves cut-side down for the last 90 seconds — let them char.
Rest the lamb on a warm plate for 4 minutes. Pile onto a serving platter, scatter with extra Maldon salt, and arrange the burnt lemons alongside. Serve the salsa verde in a bowl on the side. Each diner squeezes burnt lemon over their lamb and spoons salsa generously.
Lamb at room temperature is non-negotiable — cold lamb won't char properly.
Don't move the cutlets in the first 90 seconds — that's when char develops.
Salsa verde keeps for 3 days and improves the next day.
With Lamb Rack: roast a French-trimmed rack at 220°C for 18 minutes — same salsa.
Mediterranean Version: replace mint with oregano and add toasted pine nuts to the salsa.
Lamb best eaten immediately. Salsa verde keeps 3 days refrigerated.
Modern Australian cuisine emerged in the 1980s and 90s, marked by ingredient-led cooking, Mediterranean and Asian influences, and a strong farm-to-table sensibility. Curtis Stone's Beverly Hills restaurants Maude and Gwen apply this approach to fine dining at the highest level.
Salsa verde ('green sauce' in Italian) is a chunky, vibrant herb sauce — parsley, mint, capers, anchovies, garlic, vinegar and olive oil — found across Italy, France (sauce verte) and Argentina (chimichurri). The Italian version, used here, is the classic accompaniment to grilled meats.
Seasonal, ingredient-led, internationally informed — Mediterranean and Asian influences, indigenous Australian ingredients (saltbush, native pepper, finger lime), and a strong farm-to-table sensibility. Curtis Stone's Beverly Hills restaurants Maude (two stars) and Gwen (one star) apply this approach at the Michelin level.
Italian for 'green sauce' — a chunky, vibrant herb sauce. Cousins exist across cuisines: French sauce verte, Argentine chimichurri, Mexican salsa verde (different — green tomatillo). The Italian version, used here, is the classic accompaniment to grilled meats.
A medium-bodied red — Australian Shiraz, Côtes du Rhône, or a young Rioja. The salsa verde adds herbal brightness, so avoid heavy oaky wines. A glass of rosé from Provence works beautifully in summer.
Per serving (280g / 9.9 oz) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →This recipe is featured in the following curated guides:
Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.