Things are generally better without breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs suggest that a/ you don’t have enough good quality ingredients (i. e. meat) and you’re trying to bulk it out, or b/ that something went horribly unsightly and you need to cover up. Plus a load of unnecessary carbs. Plus tricky to get the pan/oil/fat hot enough so the food doesn’t absorb the fat and end up greasy.
But – there’s always a ‘but’, isn’t there? The whole point of writing a preamble on a blog or weekly column, is to then contradict yourself with a ‘but’. There probably is a technical literary term for this manoeuvre, and if my extensive education hadn’t gone rusty and hole-riddled I might remember what it was.
So, returning to my ‘but’ – this is the case for breadcrumbs adding value. The general rule of thumb is that they will protect whatever you are frying from overcooking and keep it succulent (how I hate the word). Lamb rack roasted whole is easy to control – the same timings will apply as to beef, 10-20 minutes high heat blast plus 15 per pound on low. But if you want to cook individual cutlets, you want get them pink inside easily, unless breadcrumb protected.
The cutlets are dipped in just egg white, not whole egg wash, so that it’s light and only there to keep the crust in place. The herbs and additions to the crumb are free choice but Parmesan is a must.