Rack of lamb with summer vegetables

Rack%20of%20Welsh%20Lamb%20by%20Francesco%20_960x540_2250.jpg (1)
  • medium
  • 4
  • 1 hour 30 minutes
Not yet rated

This muscular dish from Francesco Mazzei epitomises nose-to-tail eating, pairing a rack of lamb with its sweetbreads and kidneys. Broad beans, peas, tomatoes and watercress make lovely summery accompaniments but feel free to adapt this recipe to suit other seasons.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Rack of lamb

Kidneys

Sweetbreads

Lamb jus

Vegetables

To serve

Equipment

  • Chinois

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
2
To start the dish, make the sauce. Heat a heavy-based saucepan or casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until golden in colour. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme and wine, and reduce until the pan is almost dry
3
Meanwhile, roast the lamb bones in the oven for 30 minutes. Once browned, add to the casserole dish, followed by the tomato paste and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a simmer for 12 hours, removing any scum that floats to the surface
4
Remove from the heat, allow to cool and pass through a fine strainer into a clean pan
5
To prepare the sweetbreads, add to a pan with the cold milk and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat immediately and allow to cool in the liquid. Drain, pat dry and cut into bite-size pieces. Refrigerate until required
6
Peel the potatoes and use a pastry cutter to form into 4 discs, 4cm in diameter x 2-3cm high. Place into a large pan with cold water and a generous amount of salt. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until tender and still slightly firm in the centre. Remove from the heat, drain and allow to steam for a few minutes
7
Melt a large knob of butter in a hot pan and once foaming add the potatoes and cook until golden brown on both sides. Set aside and keep warm
8
To prepare the vegetables, blanch the baby turnips, spring onion and fennel separately for 2 minutes each in salted boiling water. Repeat with the tomatoes for 30-60 seconds. Drain well and sear all of the vegetables on the plancha or in a hot pan with a dash of olive oil and seasoning of salt
9
In a separate pan, cook the broad beans and peas in salted boiling water, then drain and refresh in iced water. Peel the shells from the broad beans and reheat with the other vegetables before serving
10
Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5
11
Temper the rack of lamb by leaving out at room temperature for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and sear in a hot ovenproof pan, fat-side down first, until golden brown all over. Place in the oven for 8-10 minutes, then remove and allow to rest for 4-5 minutes
12
Meanwhile, season the kidneys with salt and pepper and sear on a hot plancha or pan with a little oil. Remove and allow to rest. Season the semi-cooked sweetbreads and sear on the plancha until golden, then remove and keep warm
13
To serve, cut the lamb kidneys in half and neatly arrange the vegetables on to plates. Carve the lamb rack and arrange cutlets on the plates with the kidneys, sweetbreads and some hot lamb jus. Garnish with watercress and serve immediately

Francesco Mazzei reminds us why we fell in love with Italian food in the first place, conjuring soulful dishes that put flavour first.

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