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Toasted lamb sandwich with Fontina and green tomato relish

Toasted lamb sandwich with Fontina and green tomato relish

“I love the lamb sandwich with Fontina and green tomato relish at Melbourne’s Trocadero. Please share the recipe.”
Lisa McCarthy, Melbourne, Vic

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Toasted lamb sandwich with Fontina and green tomato relish

Serves 8
Cooking Time Prep time 40 mins, cook 6 hrs 40 mins (plus cooling)
16   thick slices white sourdough bread
For spreading:   softened butter
160 gm   Fontina, coarsely grated
Green tomato relish
550 gm   green tomatoes (about 4; see note), coarsely chopped
250 ml (1 cup)   white wine vinegar
250 gm   brown sugar
1   onion, finely diced
1   Granny Smith apple, coarsely chopped
125 gm   raisins
25 gm   fine sea salt
1 tsp   white peppercorns
1   long red chilli, finely chopped
½ tsp   ground cloves
Finely   grated rind of 3 lemons
Lamb shoulder
2½ tbsp   olive oil
1   lamb shoulder, bone in (about 1.2kg)
4   golden shallots
2 tbsp   Sherry vinegar
500 ml (2 cups)   chicken stock
2   thyme sprigs


1 For green tomato relish, process ingredients in a food processor to a coarse paste. Transfer to a large saucepan, bring to the simmer over high heat, stir to dissolve sugar, then reduce heat to low and stir occasionally until thick (1 hour). Set aside to cool.
2 Meanwhile, for lamb shoulder, preheat oven to 150C. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Season lamb to taste and cook, turning once, until browned (5-7 minutes). Transfer to a large roasting pan and set aside. Add shallots to frying pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (8-10 minutes). Deglaze with vinegar, then add stock, bring to the simmer, add thyme and pour mixture over lamb. Roast until meat is tender and falling off the bone (5-6 hours). Set aside to cool then, when cool enough to handle, coarsely shred meat (discard bones, sinew and fat) and set aside. Strain pan juices into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until reduced by one-third (20-25 minutes), skim fat and stir in lamb, season to taste and set aside.
3 Butter bread slices on one side. Spread green tomato relish on unbuttered side of half the slices, top with lamb and Fontina then sandwich with remaining bread, butter-side up.
4 Heat a large frying pan (or sandwich press) over medium heat and cook sandwiches, turning once, until golden and cheese melts (4-5 minutes). Serve warm.

Note Green tomatoes are available from select greengrocers.

This recipe is from the February 2013 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

RECIPE Trocadero, Melbourne PHOTOGRAPHY Vanessa Levis STYLING Lucy Weight


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