Lamb cutlets with pearl barley
Serves: 2
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Martin Poole
Lamb cutlets with pearl barley
Top-quality lamb needs very little embellishment – herby pearl barley makes a lovely accompaniment with some peppery watercress, or keep things even simpler with sautéed potatoes and green beans
Serves: 2
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
726Kcal
Fat
38gr
Saturates
15gr
Carbs
49gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
4gr
Protein
33gr
Salt
1.2gr
Ingredients
- 4 lamb cutlets (a 265g pack)
- about 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion, diced
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 sprig of thyme, leaves chopped
- 1 sprig of rosemary, leaves chopped
- 100g pearl barley, rinsed
- 125ml white wine
- 350ml chicken stock (made using ½ stock cube)
- large handful of spinach (about 40g)
- large handful of frozen peas (about 60g)
- watercress dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, to serve (optional)
Step by step
Waste not
If you’ve got woody herbs, such as thyme and rosemary, left over, finely chop the leaves and mash them into butter, adding some garlic if you wish. Freeze, ready to use on a roast chicken.
- Remove the lamb cutlets from the fridge and place on a plate. Set a saucepan over a medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and carrot, season and begin to sauté.
- After 10 minutes, add the garlic and chopped herbs and carry on cooking for a couple of minutes. Turn up the heat and add the pearl barley and white wine then cook for a couple of minutes to allow the wine to reduce. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 25-30 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Roughly chop the spinach then add to the pan along with the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes. Drizzle the barley with a little olive oil, season and then leave to stand while you cook the lamb.
- Season the lamb cutlets on both sides then set a frying pan over a high heat with a splash of olive oil. Add the lamb to the pan and brown the fat first, then cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until cooked to your liking.
- Serve the lamb cutlets with the pearl barley and some dressed watercress, if you like.
