The closest thing you can get to a meat lollipop, it’s hard not to like a lamb cutlet. Also known as a rib chop, the French-trimmed bones make perfect handles to grab onto when biting into the tender chunk of meat at the end. Of the various different types of lamb chop the cutlet is regarded as the most special as the meat comes from the tenderloin, which means it isn’t the cheapest. But if you do decide to treat yourself to some lamb cutlets, there are plenty of different ways to cook them and a whole host of dishes you can use them in.

Usually served pink in the middle, you can prepare cutlets individually before cooking, or alternatively cook an entire rack of lamb and either serve it whole or carve it into cutlets before plating. Either way you’re ensured of a stunning piece of lamb which pairs with flavours from all styles of cuisine. These wonderful recipes demonstrate just some of the different ways you can cook with lamb cutlets.

There’s a reason why lamb, potatoes and herbs are a classic combination and that’s because the flavours are a match made in heaven. This lamb cutlet recipe keeps things relatively simple, allowing the gorgeous flavour of the meat, which is browned in the pan and then finished in the oven, to shine through. Dunk the pink lamb into the sauce heavy with parsley, tarragon, dill and wild garlic for an added whack of flavour. If wild garlic isn’t in season, a grated garlic clove and a few leaves of spinach are a great substitute.

A dish sure to prove popular when served as part of a Middle Eastern spread, these lamb cutlets are given added flavour by charring them on a screaming hot griddle pan, while the centre is kept beautifully pink and tender. Cumin and lamb work together in perfect harmony and that’s why it’s the lightly spiced hummus which really brings this plate together. Stack all the elements onto a piece of pitta and you’ve got yourself a lamby mouthful to cherish.

It may not be something that we’re very used to in the UK, but deep-frying lamb cutlets isn’t uncommon in Italy, where costolette di agnello fritte (as it’s known there) is a popular dish particularly around Easter. Coated in a batter made from breadcrumbs, eggs, cream and Parmesan, before being dropped into the sizzling peanut oil, the lamb cooks incredibly quickly in this recipe but the timing is key to ensuring a nicely pink cutlet with a crisp coating.

Barbecuing is another way of guaranteeing maximum flavour when cooking your cutlets and that’s exactly what Scott Hallsworth does in this Korean-inspired dish. He smokes the chops over wood chips and matcha tea first to inject even more flavour into them. Served alongside a nasu miso and a Korean miso dressing, this is a cutlet dish packed full of umami, with the spicy lamb marinade providing added heat.

Sous vide cooking can split the crowd as techniques go, but for something like a lamb cutlet where getting a perfect medium-rare cuisson is key, it can be a great option. In this recipe Chantelle Nicholson brines the cutlets for two hours before submerging them in the water bath and then browns them in foaming butter for a beautiful finish. Served alongside buttermilk, zhoug and charred spring onions, this is very much a modern take on the classic combination of lamb, herbs and veg.

One of the best things about lamb is its versatility when it comes to styles of cuisine it can be used in, and this spiced lamb chops recipe from Peter Joseph shows how lamb cutlets work in Indian cooking. The marinade of lime juice, garlic-ginger paste and chilli powder is at the heart of this dish and gives the tender lamb an awesome kick, while the tangy pickled pumpkin on the side cuts through the spice and adds balance. A great dish to try when you fancy cooking something a little more special than a standard curry.

Blue cheese and lamb might not be the most intuitive flavour combination, but it’s not as crazy as it first sounds. When cooked correctly lamb cutlets have a gentle sweetness to them and in this recipe, Italian chef Christina Bowerman looks to offset that with the sharpness of Stilton. With some burnt leek and chicory sauce thrown in for good measure, this lamb rack recipe is sure to challenge those taste buds in the best way possible.

Lamb isn’t a meat commonly associated with Japanese food but that doesn’t mean that, when done right, it can’t work brilliantly with those umami-rich flavours. Hideki Hiwatashi chooses to pair these lamb chops, which he roasts in the oven, with a sake, mirin and soy sauce marinade and a sticky tare dressing to finish. Charred vegetables on the side complete this great low-carb recipe.