Braised Mutton Chops with Cider and Root vegetables

mutton-chops

Ingredients

  • 4 large mutton chops (or steaks). Remove any surplus fat.
  • 2 leeks sliced into 1cm rounds
  • 16 baby turnips
  • 16 baby carrots
  • 16 shallots
  • 5ml  fresh picked thyme
  • black pepper
  • salt
  • Oil for frying
  • 450ml dry cider
  • 5ml Demerara sugar
  • 5ml tomato puree
  • 15ml shredded flat parsley

Method

  1. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and gently cook the leeks until lightly coloured and slightly soft.
  2. Place leeks in a deep metal or earthenware casserole dish with tight fitting lid and set aside.
  3. Now cook the shallots and the turnips in the frying pan until both are golden brown. Remove from the frying pan and keep to one side.
  4. Dust the cutlets with plain flour. Gently seal the meat in the frying pan until well coloured. Do not burn the flour.
  5. Place the chops on top of the leeks in the casserole dish.
  6. Deglaze the frying pan with a splash of the cider. Add the tomato puree to this liquid, then the sugar to balance the acidity of the cider. Pour this liquid over the mutton.
  7. Season well with salt and pepper and enough cider to just cover the chops.
  8. Cover and cook in a medium oven for 30 minutes, then add the turnips, shallots and carrots and cook for a further 30-40 minutes.
  9. Skim any fat off the remaining liquid, check the vegetables are cooked sufficiently, and adjust seasoning. Stir in the parsley.