Rosemary & Garlic Lamb Rack on a bed of Mashed Peas

If you want to easily impress someone for a meal, the lamb rack is a pretty good option to go for. Succulent medallions of lamb with just the right amount of fat attached to almost decorative frenched bones always make me salivate.  I much prefer to buy lamb cutlets on the rack so that i can roast them; pan frying them leaves me feeling that they're a little too oily. The best time to cook this dish would be spring, when both the lamb and the peas will be at their best.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 four rib lamb racks
• 500ml veal or lamb stock, low salt (beef if unavailable)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 400gm frozen peas
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary

Method

Bring lamb to room temperature. 

Combine the stock and sugar in a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat to 1/3 - 1/2 cup. 

Preheat oven to 160 degrees

Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in an ovenproof frying pan over med-high heat.

Add lamb racks and brown on both sides (approx 3 minutes per side).

Transfer frying pan  to oven and roast for approx 8 minutes or until pink on the inside. 

Cover lamb with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil.

Add peas and cook for 2 minutes. 

Drain peas, return to saucepan with butter and mash well, seasoning to taste.

In a small saucepan, bring remaining oil to medium heat.

Add garlic and rosemary and saute for 1 minute then remove from heat. 

Place bed of mashed peas on plate. 

Cut lamb racks into 4 pieces each and fan ontop of peas.

Sprinkle over rosemary and garlic, then about 2 tbsp of the reduced stock.