Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Seasonal Vegetables

Ingredients

For the lamb

• 1 rack of lamb (4 bones)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 0.50 tblsp dijon mustard

For the herb crust

• 50 g white breadcrumbs
• 1 tblsp fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tblsp fresh basil leaves
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 tsp rosemary leaves
• 0.50 clove garlic
• sunflower oil (if required)

Fondant potato

• 2-3 rooster potatoes
• 50 g butter
• 1 clove garlic (lightly crushed)
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 50 ml homemade white chicken stock

Seasonal vegetables

• 4 asparagus spears
• 4 spring onions
• 25 g garden peas (shelled)
• 25 g broad beans (shelled)
• 3 mint leaves
• 1 large basil leaf
• 50 ml homemade white chicken stock
• 25 g butter
• handful of pea shoots

Madeira jus

• 1 shallot
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 tblsp sunflower oil
• 10 g butter
• splash of sherry vinegar
• 50 ml madeira wine
• 100 ml homemade brown chicken stock

Method

Preparing the lamb

1. Preheat oven to 200? C. French trim the rack of lamb, removing most of the skin and 2 bones. Season and cover in sunflower oil and brown on all sides. Set aside.

For the herb crust

1. Blitz bread in food processor to make breadcrumbs. Blitz parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary, ½ clove garlic with breadcrumbs to form a bright green crust. Add a little oil if necessary.
2. Coat the top of the rack of lamb with ½ tbsp of Dijon mustard. Roll the top of the lamb in the herb mixture and place on the baking tray on top of the 2 spare bones which are used as a trivet.

Fondant potato

1. Cut 3 cylinders out of the rooster potatoes using a scone cutter. In a saucepan, place 50g butter, clove garlic (lightly crushed), 2 sprigs thyme, sprig rosemary and heat well on medium temp until the butter is foaming. Ensure the butter does not burn.
2. Add the potatoes and cook until golden brown on all sides. This may take 10 minutes. Add 50ml white chicken stock. Place the saucepan on the same tray as the lamb and place in the oven until lamb is cooked to 50?C. Will take approx. 10-15 mins depending on how long the lamb was sitting on the table.

For the vegetables

1. Cut the asparagus in half and peel the skin from base of head to the bottom. Peel the outer layer of the spring onions and trim to twice the size of asparagus. Trim off roots without breaking the onion. Julienne 3 mint leaves and 1 basil leaf.

For the madeira jus

1. Chop the shallot roughly and brown in a saucepan with a little oil, clove garlic, thyme and rosemary. Once browned, add a knob of butter and remove from the heat. Once melted, return to the heat and de-glaze the pan with a splash of sherry vinegar.
2. Add 50 ml of madeira wine and reduce by half. Add 100ml of brown chicken stock and reduce by half until it is the required consistency. Strain through a sieve and set aside in a fresh saucepan and keep warm.

Final steps and plating up

1. Add 50 ml light chicken stock and 25g butter to a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. Add the spring onions and cover. After 30 seconds, add the asparagus. After 30 seconds, add the garden peas, broad beans and the herbs. Strain through sieve.
2. Lamb should be cooked at this stage and have rested for 5 – 10 mins. Place on a chopping board along with the potatoes. Cut the lamb in half to separate into a canon of lamb and a 2 rack piece of lamb. Remove the outer edge from the canon. Cut the remaining rack in half.
3. Arrange the potatoes and half the asparagus/spring onions on the plate. Place the canon of lamb and 2 racks on the plate. Add a sprinkle of salt to the meat, the remaining vegetables and finish off with the madeira jus and some pea shoots.