A classic Australian dish with a twist, by a renowned Australian chef, thanks to eatlove.com.au. Neil Perry is chef and restaurateur at the Rockpool group of restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, as well as the author of several books. This recipe comes from his book The Food I Love.

Growing up, the lamb cutlet was the star of the 'meat and three veg' plate that was so famous in the fifties and sixties. A lot has changed since then, but there is nothing I like more than a barbecued lamb cutlet.

Ingredients (serves 4)
12 good-quality lamb cutlets
2 garlic cloves
2 lemon grass stems
3 cm (1¼ inch) piece fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons coriander (cilantro) leaves
3 tablespoons mint
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper
lemon wedges

Preparation
Remove the cutlets from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. To make the marinade, put the garlic, lemon grass, ginger and sea salt in a mortar and pound into a rough paste with the pestle. Add the herbs and pound for a further minute, then stir in the extra virgin olive oil and mix together well.

Mix the chops with the marinade and leave for at least 1 hour to infuse. Preheat the barbecue and make sure the grill bars are clean. When hot, put the cutlets on the hottest part. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side for medium rare. Put on a plate and cover with foil. Rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.

Place three lamb cutlets on each of four plates. Mix a little oil with the juices on the resting plate and pour over the cutlets. Give a good grind of fresh pepper, place a lemon wedge on each plate and serve immediately.