LAMB SCHNITZELS WITH MINT-HORSERADISH PESTO

Lamb Schnitzels With Mint-Horseradish Pesto image

This is a lamb dish done schnitzel-style, devised as a pairing for blaufränkisch wine from Austria. Ask your butcher to pound slices of top round of lamb, from the leg, only lightly, which will result in pieces that are about a half-inch thick, providing enough tolerance so the meat can brown without overcooking. Refrigerating the coated slices before frying them helps, too. A pesto sauce, made with mint leaves and zapped with horseradish, picks up some of the herbal and pepper flavors in the wine. Warm potato salad in a vinaigrette dressing would be a perfect side dish for the schnitzel.

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1/2 cup flour
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated horseradish
1 large egg
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 1/2 pounds top round of lamb, in four pieces lightly pounded to 1/2-inch thick
1/2 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons
2 tablespoons sour cream
2/3 to 1 cup vegetable oil, preferably grape seed

Steps:

Spread flour on a dinner plate and season with salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons horseradish. In a shallow bowl, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Spread bread crumbs onto a dinner plate. Dip lamb pieces first in flour, shaking off excess, then in egg, then in crumbs. Place on a platter. Refrigerate.
Place mint leaves and remaining horseradish in food processor and process until mint is minced. Slowly drizzle in olive oil through feed tube. Transfer to a serving bowl, stir in juice of 1 lemon and sour cream, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat vegetable oil to a depth of about 1/2 inch in a 12-inch skillet to very hot. Add 2 slices of lamb and cook over medium-high heat until browned, turning once, about 2 minutes a side. Try to keep oil and lamb moving in pan by gently sliding pan on burner in a circular motion. When done, place lamb on several thicknesses of paper towel to drain. Repeat with remaining lamb. Lamb will be medium-rare. If you want it more well done, reduce heat to medium so it takes longer to cook.
Transfer to a platter, and serve, with sauce and remaining lemon in wedges.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1117, UnsaturatedFat 71 grams, Carbohydrate 33 grams, Fat 93 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 38 grams, SaturatedFat 17 grams, Sodium 804 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams