Set It Down in the Middle & Tuck In
This is spring on a plate. Blushing racks of lamb served with sweet peas, new potatoes, tender asparagus and plenty of garden herbs , the sort of dish that feels right at home on a long, lazy table. Finished with a punchy nettle salsa verde and set down in the middle to share, it’s generous, seasonal and best enjoyed with good company and a glass of something red. Found on our 25-mile menu or made in your kitchen using our recipe
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
For the Lamb:
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3-4 French-trimmed lamb racks (approximately 2.5–3kg total), fat scored
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A few sprigs fresh thyme
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25g butter
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Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Braised Pea Sauce
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4 shallots, finely diced (brunoise)
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3 cloves garlic, finely grated (microplaned)
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2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
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1 tsp good-quality vegetable stock paste
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350ml dry white wine
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400ml vegetable nage or light vegetable stock
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162g unsalted butter
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162g plain flour
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Salt, to taste
For the Vegetables
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1kg new potatoes, cooked and quartered
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300g fresh peas (or podded weight equivalent)
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150g silverskin onions, lightly fried until golden
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1-2 little gem lettuces, finely sliced (chiffonade)
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1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
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A generous handful soft garden herbs (such as parsley, chervil, mint or tarragon)
- Lemon juice to taste
For the Nettle Salsa Verde
- 300 g nettle leaves
- 150 g flat-leaf parsley
- 60 g mint or tarragon (optional)
- 60 g capers
- 3 cloves Garlic
- Zest of 4 lemons & Juice
- 900 g cold-pressed rapeseed oil
- Salt + pepper
Method
Render the fat on the French-trimmed lamb racks by placing them fat-side down in a pan and slowly bringing up the heat until the fat is nicely coloured and golden. Once rendered, colour the racks all over. Transfer to a tray with thyme and butter and cook for 6–12 minutes, depending on the thickness. Be sure to rest the lamb well before carving.
While the lamb is resting, heat the cooked new potatoes, peas and fried silverskin onions together in a pan. Add a few spoonfuls of the pea sauce to bind everything, then stir through the chopped asparagus. Season and add lemon juice to taste, finishing with a handful of garden herbs.
Arrange everything on your biggest serving plate, slice the lamb and lay it over the vegetables. Drizzle with the nettle salsa verde and serve with a jug of red wine sauce alongside.
For the nettle salsa verde
Blanch the nettles in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer straight into ice water. Squeeze dry and chop finely. Chop the parsley and mint, microplane the garlic and roughly chop the capers. Mix the herbs and nettles together, then add the lemon zest, lemon juice and rapeseed oil. Season to taste.
For the braised pea sauce
Sweat the shallots, garlic and thyme until soft. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Stir in the vegetable stock paste and vegetable nage and bring to the boil. In a separate pan, melt the butter and stir in the flour, cooking it out to form a roux. Gradually add the hot liquid to the roux, bring to a simmer and cook until the flour is fully cooked through. Season and chill until needed.
