Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Fondant Potato, Pea Puree, Asparagus and Thyme Jus
By M&S Food
Published on 02 January 2024
Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines brings restaurant-quality sauce to our tables on Signature Week of Cooking With The Stars, the TV cookery competition brought to you by M&S Food. Tender lamb, creamy potatoes and fresh greens are drizzled with the ultimate herby lamb jus to impress your guests at the dinner table this weekend. Short of time? Replace the thyme jus with M&S lamb gravy instead. Time and servings
2 hrs 15 minsTotal time
4Servings
45 minsPrep time
1 hr 30 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 500g chicken wings
- 250g lamb leg steaks, cubed
- 7 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tsp
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 leek, diced
- 9 garlic cloves, 6 halved, 3 crushed
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 6 rosemary sprigs, plus 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 300ml chicken stock
- 2 organic racks of lamb
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 150g panko breadcrumbs, toasted
- 25g flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
- 4 baking potatoes
- 60g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 375g frozen peas
- 100g baby spinach
- 180g asparagus spears
Method
Step 1
For the thyme jus: heat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C fan/ gas 7. Spread the chicken wings and lamb leg steaks on a roasting tray, season and roast for 10 mins.Step 2
Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a medium frying pan and sauté the onion, carrots, leeks, 6 halved garlic clove, 4 thyme sprigs, 5 rosemary sprigs, cumin seeds and cinnamon stick with some seasoning for 5 mins. Add the tomatoes and tomato purée and simmer for 10 mins.Step 3
Put the roasted chicken wings, lamb steak, spiced veg, 500ml water and chicken stock into a large pressure cooker.Step 4
Bring to the boil, cover with the lid and cook for 15 mins on a high pressure. When cooked, remove the chicken wings and lamb leg steaks, pass through a fine sieve into a pan over a medium-high heat and simmer until reduced by half to a thick sauce.Step 5
For the rack of lamb: reduce the oven heat to 210°C/ 190°C fan/ gas 6 ½. Remove excess fat from the lamb. Score a criss-cross diamond pattern into the fat and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.Step 6
Put 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium frying pan set over a high heat and sear the lamb racks on both sides until golden brown. Brush all over with the dijon mustard then press on 1 tbsp chopped rosemary and 15g chopped thyme.Step 7
In a food processor, blend the panko breadcrumbs into a fine crumb. Add the parsley and 2 crushed garlic cloves then pour in 2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and press onto the fat side of the lamb. Place in a baking tray and roast for 15 mins (medium rare). Leave to rest for 10 mins under foil.Step 8
Meanwhile, for the fondant potatoes: Halve the potatoes vertically. Using a 4cm round cutter, cut out a cylinder from each half and slice them off to an even height.Step 9
Reduce the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan/ gas 6. Melt 50g butter and 1 tbsp olive oil In a small frying pan set over medium heat and add the potatoes, 1 remaining crushed garlic clove, 1 remaining thyme and rosemary sprigs and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Brown the base of each potato cylinder well before turning them over.Step 10
Add 1-2 tbsp water and cover the pan with greased paper. Put the pan in the oven and cook for 25 mins or until the potatoes are soft in the middle. Remove and leave to stand in the butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary until required. They should be golden on all sides and tender in the middle.Step 11
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the peas and boil for 1 min then remove with a slotted spoon. Refresh the peas in ice water then remove and place in a blender. Blend to a fine purée.Step 12
Add the spinach and asparagus to the same pan of boiling water, blanch for 1 min then place in the ice water. Remove the asparagus and spinach to drain and dry on kitchen paper.Step 13
Pour the pea purée into a medium pan, add the remaining 10g butter, season well and simmer over low heat. Just before serving, heat the remaining 2 tsp olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the spinach and asparagus. Season.Step 14
To serve, slice the rack into cutlets allowing two cutlets per person. Spoon the pea purée onto the plate and arrange the lamb, potatoes, asparagus and spinach alongside. Pour the jus into a little serving pot for each person to pour over.