Roast Rack of Lamb with Marmelade Mustard Crumb Topping
Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 50 mins + resting time | Serves 4-5 | Excellent source of iron | Low sodium
Ingredients
- 2, 7-bone Quality Mark lamb racks, fat trimmed
- 60g butter
- 2 tablespoons marmalade or apricot jam
- 1 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard
- ½ cup coarse breadcrumbs (or use Japanese panko crumbs for that extra special touch)
- 1 brown onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- olive oil or butter
- 2 teaspoons rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
- ½ red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)
- 600g baby vegetables (baby carrots, courgettes, sweetcorn and fennel)
- 4 tablespoons pumpkin or sunflower seeds, pinenuts or slivered almonds
- 1 large bunch watercress, washed and drained (optional)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Method
Preheat oven to 190°C fan bake.
Lightly season the lamb racks all over and bring to room temperature on a plate, covered with cling film.
In a small pan, melt the butter and marmalade with a little salt and pepper, then stir in the mustard and take off the heat. Mix in about half of the breadcrumbs – slowly adding enough until you have a good coating. Spoon the topping evenly across the racks, pressing it down over the meat. Sauté the onion and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil or butter until lightly caramelised, then mix in the rosemary and chilli.
Place the vegetables in a roasting dish and mix in the caramelised onions, season, then put the lamb racks on top.
Roast in the centre of the oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. If the crumbs are becoming too dark as it cooks, cover loosely with foil.
Remove from oven, cover and leave to rest for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.
Place the pumpkin seeds in a small fry-pan with a tbsp olive oil and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until they begin to pop a little. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool.
To serve:
Take the racks and carefully cut in half. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the vegetables, mix it in and spoon onto 4 warm plates. Place the lamb on top of the veg. Decorate with watercress and scatter with pumpkin seeds.
Source: Beef + Lamb New Zealand, reproduced with permission.
