Lamb Scallopini with Pepper and Onion Agrodolce

Every year around Easter we normally do some kind of roast lamb recipe, like a big ol' leg of lamb, which is perfect for a large family gathering, but I have a feeling this year's gonna be a little bit different--so we're gonna go with nice, thin medallions. Unlike those large, more expensive cuts of meat, this is super easy to achieve perfect doneness, which means less anxiety and stress. Serve with crispy pan-fried potatoes.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 947 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried mint
• ½ cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, or more as needed
• ⅔ cup diced yellow onion
• ⅓ cup diced Fresno chile pepper
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided, or to taste
• ⅓ cup chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• 1 pound boneless lamb top sirloin

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil for agrodolce in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute onion with a pinch of salt in the hot oil until they start to soften up and take on some color, 4 to 5 minutes. Drizzle in more olive oil if the onions look dry. Add chile peppers and garlic; cook until peppers just start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add dried mint and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring, for exactly 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, cut the lamb into four equal 4-ounce pieces and pound between plastic wrap to about 1/8-inch thick medallions. Trim any easy-to-cut silver skin off if you like. Transfer to a Silpat®-lined baking sheet and season generously with kosher salt and pepper. Dust both sides of the meat generously with flour using a sifter and let sit for at least 10 minutes before frying.

Step 3

While lamb rests, stir salt and pepper to taste, cayenne, remaining 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, rosemary, and parsley into the agrodolce mixture. Taste and adjust, adding more salt, oil, and/or vinegar as you see fit. Reserve until needed; keep in fridge if making ahead, but let come to room temperature before serving.

Step 4

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, but not quite smoking. Pan-fry the lamb medallions until browned, about 2 minutes per side. They are very thin, so be careful not to overcook. Serve immediately topped with the agrodolce.