Herb crusted lamb rack, petit pois a la francaise Diane Sauce by Manu

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 55mins (10mins if you buy my sauce!) | Cook Time: 15mins

INGREDIENTS

For the Lamb:

1 rack of lamb (8 bones) Frenched and fat cap removed 

Salt & pepper

30ml olive oil

2 garlic cloves (crushed in the skin)

3 sprigs of thyme

30gr butter

1 Tbsp of Dijon mustard

1 pouch of Diane Sauce by Manu

For the herb crust:

125gr Panko breadcrumbs (or homemade breadcrumbs)

½ bunch fresh parsley leaves

½ bunch fresh sage leaves

¼ bunch of fresh thyme 

1 garlic clove (sliced)

120gr butter (soften)

Salt and pepper to season

For the peas:

250gr speck bacon (cut into 1 x 3cm lardons)

1 bunch fresh white onion (trimmed & quartered)

1 baby cos lettuce (roughly shredded)

100gr butter

500gr frozen peas

250ml chicken stock

METHOD

1. Lets start with the “Petit Pois a la Francaise”, place a cast iron pot onto the medium heat, add in the speck lardons and cook, stirring regularly for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden, then add in the white onions and butter, cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, now throw in the cos lettuce and stir until wilted, finally add the peas and the chicken stock, turn the heat to high, bring to boil, rectify the seasoning with salt & pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender 

2. Pre-heat the oven at 200 C

3. Place the breadcrumbs, herbs & garlic in a blender and blend until all combine and that the breadcrumbs turn bright green, then add the herbed breadcrumb into the butter and mix until well combined. Roll herb paste between 2 pieces of greaseproof paper into a rectangle to the same size of the loin of the lamb rack, set in the fridge.

4. In the meantime, with a sharp knife crisscross the top of the remaining fat on the lamb rack and sprinkle with salt & pepper, set aside.

5. Heat a frying pan over a medium to high heat, drizzle the olive oil, when the oil start to smoke place the lamb rack down and cook for a minute or until browned the do the same on the other side, then add in the crush garlic, thyme and butter into the pan and base the lamb for another minute or so, place the pan in the oven and cook for 5 minutes.

6. Now transfer the lamb rack onto a plate, set the frying pan aside and generously brush the mustard all the flesh part of the rack and rest for 2 minutes

7. Get the herb crust out of the fridge, peel 1 piece of greaseproof paper and place the herb paste nightly of the lamb rack with a little bit of pressure and then peel the 2nd piece of greaseproof paper away, place the rack back onto the frying pan and back into the oven for 15 minutes, out and rest for 5 and ready to slice and serve.

8. For the sauce, tear the pouch open, pour the Diane Sauce by Manu into a sauce pan, bring to boil, you now ready to eat, bon appetit!!!