Barbecued lamb cutlets that will have your guests shouting Opa! with delight

Frenched lamb cutlets are like meaty lollypops, which makes them fun to eat. You can make this with other kinds of chops too.

Dig in: Frenched lamb cutlets with Greek-inspired salad. Picture: Craig Wall

I had a lovely email from a reader about the kinds of recipes she hoped to see on these pages. Right at the top of her list were “things on the barbecue” with a great salad. This one’s for you, Michelle! Frenched lamb cutlets are like meaty lollypops, which makes them fun to eat, but you can certainly make this with other kinds of chops too. Using the olive brine and feta whey is a terrific way of seasoning and tenderising the meat – and adding funk-factor to the salad dressing. Juicy watermelon is a fantastic foil for the lamb, and the Greek accent with oregano, lemon and feta will have your guests shouting Opa! with delight.

Barbecued lamb cutlets

2-3 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tablespoon feta whey (see tips)

1 tablespoon olive brine (see tips)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons dried oregano or 1 bunch fresh oregano, sprigs picked

1 teaspoon honey

12 lamb cutlets, frenched

Grilled lemon halves, to serve

Combine garlic, whey, brine, oil, dried oregano and honey in a large container; add the lamb cutlets and swish around to coat. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour. When ready to cook, bring cutlets to room temperature and preheat barbecue to smoking hot. If using the fresh oregano, scatter sprigs over a tray. Grill lamb for 2-3 minutes each side, depending on the thickness, and transfer to the tray of oregano. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Grill the lemon halves, cut side down, for 2 minutes. Serve lamb with lemon halves and watermelon and olive salad. Serves 4

Watermelon & olive salad

¼ small seedless watermelon, flesh roughly chopped

4-6 red radishes, thinly sliced

2 Lebanese cucumbers, chopped

1 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced into rounds

½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and brine reserved

1 cup small mint leaves (see tips)

200g Greek feta, whey reserved

Chilli & feta whey dressing

2 mild long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely grated

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons feta whey

2 tablespoons olive brine

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and set aside. Arrange watermelon, radish, cucumber, onion, olives and mint in a salad bowl, crumble feta over the top, then drizzle with dressing. Serves 4-6

Top tips

Cooking the lamb cutlets without the salad? There’s no need to crack open a jar of olives or block of cheese to get at the brine and whey. Just add a teaspoon of salt flakes to the marinade to balance the seasoning.

If you’ve chosen to make both dishes – hooray! – and have mint stalks left over, pop these underneath the lamb with the fresh oregano (if using) as well.

To transport the salad, perhaps to a picnic, keep the watermelon and dressing separate from the rest of the salad ingredients until just before serving. This will ensure things don’t get soggy before showtime.