Lamb cutlets with cider, mint and crème-fraîche sauce recipe Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the shallots over a medium heat until soft but not coloured. Add the Calvados; let it bubble away then add the cider with the mint from three of the sprigs. Boil until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds. Take off the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain and combine the cider with the stock. Bring to the boil then reduce by half. Heat a griddle pan. Season the meat well with salt and pepper. When the pan is really hot, cook the chops on each side until well coloured. They should still be pink in the middle so about a minute and a half on each side is enough. Press the meaty part down on the griddle with the back of a wooden spoon as you cook. Check to see how quickly the chops are doing by inserting a sharp knife into one to see what the meat inside is like - make sure you serve the chop the other way up so people can't see the slit. Quickly reheat the cider and stock. Stir in the crème fraîche, some seasoning and the rest of the mint leaves (torn). Taste again for seasoning. Put the cutlets on to a platter. Serve with the sauce, little boiled waxy potatoes and a green veg or watercress salad. TRY THIS Sour-cream and vodka ice cream recipe