Serves: 4

Herb-Crusted Lamb Rack with Roast Endive

Tender, perfectly cooked lamb rack coated in a crisp, fragrant herb crumb, served with caramelized endive and a rich onion marmalade mash. Finished with a silky, reduced lamb jus, this dish is designed to impress at a dinner party or special occasion, showcasing sophisticated flavours and refined technique.

INGREDIENTS

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Lamb Stock

500g chopped lamb bones (including fat and trimmings)

1 litre water

50ml olive oil

20g butter

1 tsp tomato paste

8g coarse sea salt

10 black peppercorns

Few fennel seeds

1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces

1 shallot, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces

1 onion, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces

½ bulb garlic, split

2 bay leaves

Sprigs of thyme and rosemary

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Roast Chicory (Endive)

4 whole chicory, halved

15g butter

2 sprigs rosemary

20g demerara sugar

2g salt

12 turns black pepper

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Green Parsley Crumb

Zest of ½ lemon

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

60g panko breadcrumbs

2g salt & pepper

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Onion Marmalade

2 onions, thinly sliced

20g butter + 50ml oil

2 bay leaves + a few thyme sprigs

12 turns black pepper

2 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp vinegar

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Mash Potato with Onion Marmalade

5 medium potatoes, peeled and halved (~600g)

3L water + 60g salt

150g butter

50ml warmed milk

1 heaped tsp English mustard

1 tbsp onion marmalade

12 turns black pepper

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Cooking the Lamb

1 -8 bone lamb rack, trimmed and cleaned

Salt and pepper

Small amount of oil

Method

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Lamb Stock

Heat ½ the oil in a pan. Add butter, then lamb bones and trimmings. Render fat and caramelize bones.

Add carrots, thyme, garlic, bay, rosemary, ½ the salt and pepper, cook 3–4 mins.

Add onion and shallot, cook 5 mins until golden. Drain excess fat.

Add tomato paste, cook 2 mins. Add cold water to just cover bones. Simmer, skim scum, and cook 20–30 mins until reduced.

Pass through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Finish with a knob of butter while simmering.

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Roast Chicory (Endive)

Heat a pan on medium-high. Sprinkle sugar, add chicory, season with salt, pepper, rosemary, and extra sugar.

Cook 2–3 mins until edges caramelize.

Transfer to a hot oven with a lid for 2–3 mins to steam. Cool slightly.

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Green Parsley Crumb

Blend all ingredients in a blender to a fine crumb.

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Onion Marmalade

Heat oil and butter, add onions, thyme, bay, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Cook 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until caramelized.

Deglaze with vinegar and set aside.

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Mash Potato with Onion Marmalade

Boil potatoes in salted water for 30–40 mins until tender. Drain and return to pan to dry 1 min.

Mash with butter, milk, mustard, onion marmalade, salt, and pepper until smooth.

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Cooking the Lamb

Season lamb. Render fat side in pan over medium heat ~5 mins.

Sear the other side 2 mins.

Cook in oven 5–7 mins depending on size. Rest 5–15 mins.

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Assembly

Brush lamb fat side with ~1 tsp English mustard. Press on parsley crumb and reheat 5 mins.

Serve with roast endive and mash.

Slice cutlets into 3 pieces and arrange on plate.

Drizzle with reduced, buttered lamb jus to finish.