Rack of Wicklow Mountain Lamb

Ingredients

• herb crust:
• mixed fresh herbs
• bread crumbs (very fine)
• seasoning
• dijon mustard (to coat the lamb before applying herbs)
• lamb:
• rack of lamb
• marinade:
• olive oil, sprigs of various herbs, cloves of garlic, salt, pepper,
• colcannon:
• butter
• whipped potato
• spring onion
• seasoning
• salsa:
• sauté shallots
• garlic
• cucumber
• vine ripened tomato
• seasoning

 

Method

1. To make the herb crust, take the leaves of the fresh herbs and place them with the bread crumbs in a blender. Add seasoning and blend until the bread crumbs and the herbs are completely fused. You should be left with what appears to be green bread crumbs.
2. Take the rack of lamb, French trim and clean the bones until they are pearly white. Allow the whole rack of lamb to sit in the marinade for a couple of days. Place in the fridge and cover with cling film. Once finished marinating, divide the rack of lamb into good size cutlets. Baste the meat end of the cutlets in Dijon mustard and then roll the cutlets in the herb & bread crumb mix. Each cutlet should be coated evenly, with the bones remaining untouched.
3. For the salsa, finely chop the shallots, garlic, cucumber and tomatoes.
4. The potato is pretty self explanatory. Simmer it and when ready mash it, adding seasoning, butter and chopped spring onions.
5. Cover the pan with olive oil and allow to heat to a medium temperature. Place two cutlets per person on the pan and seal on either side. Place the pan in the oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes. This should ensure that the crust is a perfect golden brown and that the lamb remains pink in the middle.
6. For the salsa add an even quantity of cucumber, tomato and shallots to a hot saucepan with a little oil. Season with garlic, salt and pepper and cook just enough to ensure that it is hot. We want to keep it nice and fresh. Freshly chopped coriander can be added at the end.
7. Pipe the potato mix onto the plate with 2 cutlets and the salsa dished into a mould for presentation. Done!