Mutton Cutlets with Onion and Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

• 8 pieces neck cutlets (Mutton neck cutlets, trimmed neatly of excess fat and sinew)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or salad oil (Use melted butter or a neutral salad oil to brush the cutlets before grilling)
• 3 medium Bombay onions (Fair-sized Bombay onions (large mild onions); use 2 if very large)
• 1 ladleful (approximately 3 tablespoons) butter (A generous ladleful of butter for cooking the onions in the sauce)
• 1 pinch sugar (Just a small pinch to balance the onion flavour)
• 0 to taste pepper (Season the sauce to your liking)
• 0 to taste salt (Season the sauce to your liking)
• 1 tablespoon boiled rice or pearl barley (Either works as a thickener for the sauce; use whichever you have available)
• 1 cupful (approximately 240ml) broth (Use a good flavourful meat or mutton broth)
• 1 heaped tablespoon finely grated cheese (Grate the cheese finely so it melts smoothly into the sauce)
• 1 tablespoon rich cream (Stirred in at the very end; double cream works best for richness)
• 0 as needed mashed potato (Enough to form a wall or ring on the serving plate for 8 people)
• 0 as needed French beans à la maître d'hôtel (Prepared French beans à la maître d'hôtel to fill the centre of the mashed potato ring)

Instructions

1. 1Using a sharp knife, trim the neck cutlets neatly, removing any excess fat or ragged edges. Tidy presentation is key for a dinner party dish. Set the trimmed cutlets aside on a plate ready for coating.
2. 2Melt the butter in a small bowl (or pour out the salad oil). Using a pastry brush or simply dipping each cutlet, coat every cutlet thoroughly on both sides with the melted butter or salad oil. This helps the cutlets cook evenly and prevents sticking on the grill.
3. 3Peel the Bombay onions and place them whole into a pot of boiling water. Parboil them for about 8–10 minutes, until they are partially cooked but not yet fully soft — you should be able to pierce them with a knife but still feel some resistance. Drain and set aside to cool slightly, then cut them up roughly into chunks.
4. 4Place the roughly chopped parboiled onions into a saucepan. Add a generous ladleful of butter (approximately 3 tablespoons), a pinch of sugar, and pepper and salt to your taste. Set the heat to low and let the onions cook slowly, stirring occasionally, so they soften without taking on any colour or browning. This gentle cooking develops a sweet, mellow flavour.
5. 5Add one tablespoon of boiled rice or pearl barley to the onion mixture, then pour in a cupful (approximately 240ml) of broth. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chunks of onion are completely soft and beginning to break down — this should take around 10–15 minutes.
6. 6Once the onions are completely soft, add one heaped tablespoon of finely grated cheese to the saucepan. Stir it in well and keep stirring for one to two minutes over low heat until the cheese has fully melted and incorporated into the mixture.
7. 7Remove the saucepan from the heat. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a clean bowl or saucepan. Working in batches, spoon the onion mixture into the sieve and press it firmly through using the back of a spoon, working it through as you would a purée. This creates a smooth, thick, velvety sauce. Discard any fibrous residue left in the sieve.
8. 8To make a bain marie, fill a large saucepan or roasting tin with a few centimetres of simmering water. Place the saucepan or bowl containing your sieved sauce into this hot water bath so it sits over the steam without touching the boiling water directly. Heat the sauce gently this way, stirring occasionally, until it is warmed through. This gentle method prevents the sauce from splitting or burning.
9. 9Heat your grill, griddle pan, or barbecue to its highest setting — you want a very fast, hot fire. Place the coated cutlets onto the grill. Cook over the intense heat, turning once, until done to your liking. A hot grill will give good colour on the outside while keeping the inside tender. Watch carefully as they cook quickly at high heat.
10. 10Just before serving, remove the sauce from the bain marie and stir in one tablespoon of rich cream. Stir well so the cream is fully incorporated. The finished sauce should be thick, smooth, and creamy-looking — of the consistency of tartare sauce. Transfer it to a sauce boat ready to go to the table.
11. 11On a large warm serving platter, spoon or pipe a ring (wall) of mashed potato around the edge. Fill the centre of the mashed potato ring with the French beans à la maître d'hôtel. Arrange the grilled cutlets around the outside of the mashed potato wall, leaning them attractively. Bring the sauce to the table separately in the sauce boat so each guest can help themselves. Serve immediately.