This spicy green miso is zingy, fresh and a fantastic accompaniment to lamb, fatty mackerel and even chicken thighs. It is a doddle to make but packs a real punch of umami flavour and chilli heat. If you are not a huge fan of coriander (cilantro), you can use other green herbs such as basil or tarragon. This is a personal favourite recipe.
Ingredients
- 12 lamb cutlets, approximately 175 g 6¼oz) each
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the Green Miso Marinade
- 5½oz/½ cup plus 2 tbsp (150 g) white miso
- 1¼ oz/½ cup (30 g) coriander (cilantro) leaves, roughly chopped
- 4 green jalapeño or hot green finger chillies, deseeded and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2.5 cm 1 inch) piece of root ginger, peeled and grated
- 3 anchovy fillets
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 4 tbsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
- ½ lime zest
- 1 lime juice
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
To Garnish
- 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
- micro herbs and edible flowers (optional)
How to Make It
- Place all the ingredients for the green miso marinade in a food processor and blend to a smooth green paste. Rub the lamb cutlets generously in about two-thirds of the green miso mixture and marinade for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight in the fridge.
- Add 4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to the remaining green miso marinade and mix well. This will be used for basting the lamb cutlets during grilling (broiling) as well as a sauce for the barbecued cutlets. Place the mixture in an airtight container and reserve until needed.
- Remove the lamb cutlets from the fridge at least 1 hour before cooking to bring them to room temperature.
- To barbecue the cutlets, first ensure the grill bars are clean and brushed generously with oil. Preheat the barbecue to very hot. Remove the lamb cutlets from the marinade, brushing off any excess; discard the marinade. Cook the cutlets on the barbecue grill for 3-4 minutes on each side, basting each cutlet with some green miso sauce after flipping them over. Remove from the grill and rest the cutlets in a warm place for a couple of minutes then serve with a scattering of white sesame seeds and micro herbs and edible flowers if using.
- If you don’t have a barbecue, cook the cutlets under a hot grill (broiler). Place the cutlets over a wire rack within a roasting tin (pan) and grill (broil) them for about 4 minutes on each side, basting each cutlet with some of the green miso sauce after flipping them over. If using the kitchen grill (broiler), a meat thermometer read is more accurate than on the barbecue – the internal temperature of the meat should be 60°C (140°F) for rare, 63°C (145°F) for medium rare, 71°C (160°F) for medium and 77°C (170°F) for well-done. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can check doneness by cutting a small piece from one of the cutlets. Rest the cutlets for a couple of minutes and serve with the remaining green miso sauce.
