Broiled Lamb Cutlets A La Florentine

This recipe comes from early 20th century Greek-American culinary literature, published in 1917 in New York. The cookbook was designed to bring the new world of American cooking techniques and abundance to Greek immigrants and their families, blending Mediterranean flavors with American culinary style. Recipes like this show a sophisticated, continental influence—'à la Florentine' suggesting a nod both to Italian cuisine and to the international, urban tastes shaping Greek-American kitchens at the time. In a world between two cultures and two continents, the cookbook's recipes were bridges—familiar enough for Greek readers, but modernized and Americanized for their new setting.

Traditionally, the lamb cutlets would be prepared using a sharp knife to slice the meat and a metal grill or grate over a charcoal or wood fire. Classic cast iron or enamel sauté pans would be used for cooking the vegetables, and a small, sharp scoop might be employed for Parisienne potatoes. Simple saucepans would handle boiling or steaming of the other vegetables. All of this would likely be managed on a wood or coal-burning stove, with serving on robust platters.