Cumbrian rack of lamb, coated in herb crust

North West Young Chef of the Year

North West Young Chef of the Year

Standard Supplier 1st June 2011
North West Young Chef of the Year

Cumbrian rack of lamb, coated in herb crust

Lamb recipes tend to be exceptionally varied, with meals that offer classic comfort food as well as dishes that boast a more delicate, refined flavour. Take a look at the Cumbrian rack of lamb, coated in herb crust recipe below as tried and tested by our professional chefs. This main course was cooked by Tomas Krasnan from HIlton Liverpool during the 2011 Merseyside Heat of the North West Young Chef Competition held at St Helens College.

Ingredients

  • 400g Rack of lamb (Cumbria, Russell Hume)
  • 2x large potatoes (piper) 400g Hazeldene Farm in Ormskirk)
  • 500g carrots (RE Johnson,Preston)
  • Quarter of a savoy cabbage (Hazeldene Farms in Ormskirk)
  • 1xgarlic clove (Deli Fresh)
  • Quater white onion 100g (RE Johnson,Preston)
  • 100g butter (Singletons Dairy, Preston)
  • 100ml doublecream (Singletons Dairy, Preston)
  • Half a Lemon (using juice left over from dessert) (Deli Fresh)
  • 50g breadcrumbs
  • 20g Thyme (Hazeldene farms in Ormskirk)
  • 500ml vegetable stock (using root vegetable supplied from Deli Fresh)
  • 100ml natural jus reduction
  • Maldon sea salt, pepper, pinch of sugar, olive oil
  • Watercress for garnish

Method

For the carrot puree:
Place the roughly chopped carrots into the pan with water with the crushed garlic clove and white onion and bring to the boil. season with salt and white pepper and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until soft (keep adding water if needed so is covered at all the time). When it is ready place into the blender and blend it until it is nice and smooth, season with lemon juice and sugar and refrigerate until will need it.
For the fondants:
Peel the potatoes and cut into the shape of the fondant, season well with salt. In the meantime place the heavy bottomed pan on the stove with little bit of butter and seal potatoes from the both sides until nice and golden, than add some vegetable stock so they are covered up to 2/3 and some thyme stalks and garlic clove and slowly cook for about 25 minutes, then turn over and cook further until they are soft in the middle. When they are ready take off the stock and leave in the fridge until later.
For the herb crust:
Place the breadcrumbs in the non-stick pan with tiny bit of butter and finely picked and chopped thyme leaves and fry until they absorb all the butter and will dry out and take all the flavours
Next prepare the rack of lamb, trim the fat of the rack and cut into two portions, clean the bones and leave in the fridge until will need it.
Next step to prepare the rest of the garnish, shred the savoy cabbage, slice white onion finely and mix together gently, leave in the fridge until will need it.
For the service:
Season the lamb well from both sides with salt and pepper, place the frying pan on the stove with little oil and heat until smoking hot and seal the lamb well from the sides, add spoonful of butter and cook for further minute on the stove. Keep drizzling butter over the lamb and when it is done so place the lamb in the preheated oven and roast for 5-10 minutes until is cooked to med-rare.
In the meantime reheat the carrot pure, natural jus and potato fondants, also sauté the savoy cabbage with white onion, season well with salt, pepper and cream with touch of double cream and take the rack of lamb out of the oven and rest for about 3-5 minutes. When it is rested roll the lamb in the prepared bread crumbs and flash under the grill just before serving so is warm and nice pink inside.
For presentation:
Use a square porcelain plate. Using the table spoon drag two clean lines with the carrot pure, place the potato fondant onto the one line of the carrot pure and next to the other one place sauted cabbage, carve the lamb and place over the cabbage and drizzle little bit of natural jus over the plate and the lamb, dress the dish with leaves of watercress, serving with ramekin of sauce.

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