- 200g/7oz butter
- ½ bunch fresh mint, plus 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 50ml/2floz white wine
- 1 tsp white peppercorns
- 1 small banana shallot, finely diced
- 4 free-range eggs, yolks only
- ¼ lemon, juice only
- 400g/14oz new potatoes
- 200g/7oz French beans
- 75g/2½ oz butter
- 2 x 150-200g/5-7oz lamb fillets
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil
- 8 lamb chops, trimmed
- For the paloise sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan on a gentle heat. Skim the white foam that floats to the top off the butter. Then pour the butter into a clean bowl, leaving behind any milk solids that have sunk to the bottom of the pan. Add the bunch of mint to the butter.
- Place the vinegar, white wine, peppercorns and shallot into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the volume of the liquid has reduced by half.
- Remove the peppercorns, and then pour the mixture into a medium heat-proof bowl. Allow to cool slightly.
- Whisk the egg yolks into the white wine reduction.
- Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (ensure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and whisk the eggs together until thickened and light in colour.
- Strain the mint-flavoured butter through a sieve into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add the lemon juice and chopped mint leaves.
- Turn off the heat and leave the bowl over the pan until ready to use.
- For the crushed new potatoes and green beans, place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add cold water bring to the boil and cook for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked. Drain.
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil and add the beans. Boil for one minute, then drain.
- Heat a small frying pan and add half the butter. Add the blanched beans to the pan and cook for a minute.
- Crush the new potatoes slightly with a fork and add the remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
- For the duo of lamb, heat a large frying pan and add the oil, season the fillets with salt and fry until browned all over. Transfer to the oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest.
- Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan until hot. Brush the chops with oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on the griddle and cook for a couple of minutes on each side. Set aside to rest for a few minutes.
- To serve, slice the lamb fillets and place onto a plate with a lamb chop, serve with the new potatoes, green beans alongside and sauce drizzled over.