I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

February 20, 2012

Dukkah Crusted Lamb Cutlets with Fig and Goat Chese Salad
















Some lovely finds at the market this week.

















Soft ash goats cheese, tiny lamb cutlets, and beautiful fresh ripe figs. Yumm.... Obviously they needed to be combined together.


















This seems like a lot of steps for one dish Dear Readers, but really they don't take long at all.
The dukkah can be made days in advance, and the cutlets can be coated a day ahead as well if you like. The salad is 5 minutes work, tops. So there's no excuses for missing out on a lovely meal even if you're in a hurry, with just these few ingredients in the fridge.



Dukkah

















3/4 cup Hazelnuts
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon sumac
Good pinch of salt flakes

Toast the hazlenuts in a dry pan over medium heat, until starting to change colour.


















Add in the rest of the ingredients, and toast until the seeds are a lovely golden colour and the spices are releasing their aromatic oils. Make sure you keep stirring or shaking the pan so they don't burn. Pull out a few hazlenuts to keep as a final garnish.


















Let them cool a bit, then pulse them in a food processor until they are roughly- but fairly finely chopped.
That's it, dukkah's done and dusted.

















Pat your little cutlets dry with kitchen towel, then dip all over in a lovely olive oil- I used a beautiful smoked olive oil for a bit of extra va-voom!

















Let the excess drip off, then dip the cutlet into the dukkah. Make sure it gets into all the nooks and crannies. This coating is not only delicious, but will help protect the meat from over cooking and drying out in the pan.

















Pop the coated cutlets into a preheated pan on medium heat. There's no need to oil the pan, as you don't want to burn the dukkah or fry it too hard in oil. The oil you dipped the meat in will be fine.

















Little cutlets like this don't require much cooking at all, they should be served nice pink and juicy, so watch them carefully.
If you had quite a lot of meat to cook off, it would be easier to sear them well, then put them all on an oven tray to finish cooking. That way they are all ready and hot at the same time for plating up.

















Now, while all the lamb is cooking, it's time to make the salad.

Rip open a packet of pre-washed rocket leaves and scatter them artistically about your serving dish or plate.

Cut some perfectly ripe figs in half so that the luscious pink insides are showing, and pop them about too.

















Slice or crumble on your goats cheese for the gorgeous creamy tang it brings to the party, scatter over the reserved hazlenuts, and voila!

















Looks like something from a magazine doesn't it?





















Now a bit of dressing is lovely to help the greens go down, but I like to serve mine separately, or srizzle it on after you've served your guests. My dressing consists of some scrummy Pukara Estate Fig Balsamic Vinegar whisked with a bit more of the olive oil. It tastes fantastic, but the dark colour stains the food.  Please serve it separately, you'll thank me.






















So my Dearest Readers, so you like fresh figs, and how do you like to serve them when they're in season?









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48 comments:

  1. what a delightful dish! and i love the way you served them :)

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  2. You are a better woman than I! If I see a plate of beautiful black figs all I want to do is eat them. This dish looks lovely though-lamb cutlets are a favourite! :D

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    1. It was certainly a real effort to hold back Lorraine! Mine too, nice and sweet.

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  3. Fresh figs don't usually last long enough for a salad :D I'm really happy that they're easier to get these days. My parents had a dwarf fig tree and I miss being able to beat the bees to them.

    (love sumac too)

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    1. They have such a short season that you have to snatch them up as you find them. I wish I had my own fig tree too.

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  4. I devour figs! Sometimes I like to make a tart with frangipane too. I was trying to think of a recipe to use my dukkah up, so your post came up just in time! :)

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    1. Oooh, figs and fragipane, would be amazing, Yumm! Glad to help :)

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  5. This sounds so good! Some of my favourite ingredients in the one dish. Must try. Pukara estate do some great olive oils and vinegars. Big fan.

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  6. I want to be near your farmers market!!! I'm with Lorraine, if I get my hands on fresh figs I eat them straight up! If on the freakish chance I ever come across a laden tree, I love to make fig and ginger jam with the surplus.

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    1. I would love my own fig tree, and some of your fantastic sounding fig and ginger jam! Mmmmm...

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  7. Looks good - that's the first half of the battle. Taste will have to wait but the signs are all good.

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  8. Wow, that looks so so delicious! I have never had fresh figs - I could eat this for breakfast - and right now I am starving...must find some figs! :)

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    1. Ina, that's so sad!! I wish I could send you some! I do love dried figs though, but they're so different from the 'real' thing!

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  9. The crust looks so yummy... but I've never heard of sumac (except for tea I think?). Here in Canada figs are pretty hard to come by any time of the year (at least ones that look as delicious as the ones in your photograph!). I will use this post for inspiration - certainly the rest of the spice/seed mix with the hazelnuts. Fabulous presentation too!!

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    1. Sumac has a bit of a lemony taste and is often used in Middle Eastern cookery.
      Thanks, I hope it gives you some ideas, and that you find some yummy fresh figs next season too.

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  10. yay for fig season! I adore them. Just baked with a drizzle of honey and some prosciutto, yum! I also have been lusting after making my own dukkah :)
    Heidi xo

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    1. Heidi, I actually went and bought some prosciutto to have with the leftover figs, it's such a perfect match!
      Let me know how it works out with the dukkah.

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  11. What a lovely looking dish, Bec. I'm waiting impatiently for my figs to ripen, but they seem to be taking ages this year!
    And is that Thermomix blades I spied in that pic?? did you get one?

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    1. Thanks Amanda! Most of my veggies are ripening late this year too, I think it's because we've had such a cool summer.
      My lovely mum got me a Thermochef, I'll let you know how it goes.

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  12. I just happen to have some beautifully ripe figs just begging to be turned into something wonderful. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  13. If you can be an intolerant chef, I can be an intolerant reader...

    Why oh why do you have that wretched word verification that I always have trouble reading and take a blow to my self esteem ever time I try to post? (You are one of the few blogs I visit with WV. I had a savage thinning...) Blogger is very good now at diverting spam, you know.

    But worse (!) having battled through the word verification indignity, the post goes to moderation anyway!! Why both?

    That's it. My medication will kick in shortly...

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    1. Oh dear Cosmo, I'm surprised it takes so little to emasculate you!
      My medication for ADD and OCD doesn't appear to have kicked in yet either, so I guess word verification is here until then.

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  14. Wow, that display of photographs and instructions was brilliant. And yes, it does look like something from a magazine! As for figs, how about dipping them in dark chocolate and serving them for dessert? Simple, easy, and delicious!

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    1. Why Thankyou Melissa! That sounds so amazing, I think a nice rich, dark chocolate would be perfect, yumm...

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  15. What a beautiful looking dish. I love how gorgeous and fresh your figs are. Great recipe for dukkah - I haven't made it before - have always bought it. I must try this dish because it looks so delicious. xx

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    1. Thanks Charlie! Those figs were the sweetest I've ever eaten too. The dukkah was yummy and certainly easy to make, I hope you give it a try :)

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  16. These look perfect! My partner would love them. Such beautiful colours :)Dukkah is so delicious. Love it with quality olive oil and fresh sour dough.

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    1. Dukkah, oil and bread is one of the most simple but most yummy lunches ever Cass! Grab some figs before the season ends and make your partner happy :)

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  17. Dear IntolerantChef

    I would normally prefer my lamb cutlets with just a little salt and fresh black pepper but the dukkah makes it so moorish and delicious especially with the figs.

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    1. You're so right, you don't want to over power the delicate flavour of the lamb. Luckily the figs add to that subtle sweetness as well. Yumm!

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  18. I am deeply ashamed that I didn't think of using dukkah as a crumb... sigh XO

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    1. Don't worry Janet, I forgive you! :) At least it fits in your paleo diet instead of breadcrumbs :)

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  19. Your homemade dukkah looks pro :) love this dish! Delicious!!

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    1. Thanks Nic! I was really happy with how this worked out, pretty and tasty at the same time :)

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  20. Becca, you slay me, honestly I don't know how you do it! If this is your idea of an easy weekday meal, I can't wait to see what you can do when you go all out! Magnificent dish, darling, and the plating on the long wooden tray is especially glam, as you say, like something straight out of a magazine! :)

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    1. My next post is for you then Celia! A look through the firdge and throw it all together sort of thing.
      Thanks honey, it's nice to have a win now and then :)

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  21. LOVE!!!!!! i have everything we need to make this, a lamb rack, fresh figs, delicious goats cheese.......

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  22. Stunning presentation and flavours. Absolutely love this!!!

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  23. Such a beautiful combination of ingredients. Dukkah, Figs and Goats Cheese - mmmmmm!!

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  24. Waw! I love dukkah a lot! I love this tasty & fabulous creation of yours! Waw!

    I also love the fantastic presentation!! Really glammy! A fabulous dish! :)

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