Salty pistachios add a savoury crunch to this tender lamb.
Ingredients
Serves 4
For the lamb:
- 2 Bord Bia Quality Assured Racks of Lamb (each approximately 220g)
- 50g breadcrumbs
- 50g shelled pistachio nuts
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, snipped
- 2 tsp fresh fhyme leaves
- Finely grated rind of ½ lemon
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Sea salt
- Glazed carrots, to serve
- Wilted spinach, to serve
- Gratin potato, to serve
For the rosemary jus:
- 300ml red wine
- 4 tbsp Simply Better balsamic vinegar of Modena
- 200ml good quality beef stock
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 1 tsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- Freshly ground black pepper
Method
For the lamb:
- Preheat oven to 180°C (Gas Mark 6).
- Place the basil, parsley, garlic and the pistachio nuts in a food processor and blitz until green.
- Add the breadcrumbs and lemon rind and blend again for just a few seconds, until well combined.
- Place the racks of lamb on a chopping board and season. Using the back of a teaspoon spread the mustard over the fat side of each rack.
- Cover with the pistachio crust, using your hands to mould it over the lamb.
- Arrange the lamb racks on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper and place in a small baking tin and roast for 20-25 minutes, or a little longer if you don't like your lamb too pink.
- Cover the crust with small pieces of tin foil if you think that they are browning too quickly. Once cooked, set aside in a warm place to rest for 10-15 minutes.
For the rosemary jus:
- Heat a small pan and pour in the wine and balsamic vinegar.
- Boil for about 5 minutes, until reduced by half.
- Add the tomato puree, rosemary, stock and sugar and reduce again for another 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until you have achieved a good sauce consistency.
- Season to taste and pass through a sieve to remove the rosemary.
- To serve, carve the lamb racks into chops and arrange on warmed plates with the potato gratin and drizzle over a little of the rosemary jus to serve.
