Name: Roast rack of lamb with pancetta, summer vegetables and mint bearnaise
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 50 ml olive oil; 4 4-rib lamb racks (about 220gm each); 1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced; 20 cherry tomatoes, skins pricked; 8 slices (about 100gm) pancetta, coarsely chopped; 150 gm podded peas (275gm unpodded); ¼ cup mint leaves, coarsely torn (loosely packed); Mint béarnaise; 100 ml white wine vinegar; 3 sprigs of mint, leaves picked, stalks reserved; 3 black peppercorns; 1 golden shallot, thinly sliced; 3 egg yolks; 225 ml clarified butter, softened (see note)

Roast rack of lamb with pancetta, summer vegetables and mint bearnaise

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for roast rack of lamb with pancetta, summer vegetables and mint bearnaise

Serves 4

“I love going back to Perth, not only to visit my family, but because the food at Balthazar is so good. On my recent trip I tried the lamb with mint béarnaise – a great twist on a classic dish. I would love to make this at home. Would you ask chef Jamie Morgan for the recipe?”

Carey Tamar, Redfern, NSW

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Ingredients

50 ml olive oil

4 4-rib lamb racks (about 220gm each)

1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced

20 cherry tomatoes, skins pricked

8 slices (about 100gm) pancetta, coarsely chopped

150 gm podded peas (275gm unpodded)

¼ cup mint leaves, coarsely torn (loosely packed)

Mint béarnaise

100 ml white wine vinegar

3 sprigs of mint, leaves picked, stalks reserved

3 black peppercorns

1 golden shallot, thinly sliced

3 egg yolks

225 ml clarified butter, softened (see note)

Method

Main

1.For mint béarnaise, combine vinegar, mint stalks, peppercorns and shallot in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced to 40ml (2 tbsp), then strain into a bowl, discarding solids. Whisk egg yolks and vinegar reduction in a large heat-proof bowl over gently simmering water until pale and thick, then gradually whisk in clarified butter until well combined. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Coarsely chop mint leaves and add to béarnaise. Stand in a warm place until required. Makes 1 cup.

2.Preheat oven to 200C. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy-based roasting pan over medium-high heat. Season lamb and cook for 5 minutes, turning until browned all over. Roast in oven, turning once, for 8-10 minutes for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Rest for 10 minutes covered loosely with foil.

3.Heat remaining olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, sauté onion for 5 minutes or until soft and golden. Add cherry tomatoes and pancetta, and cook for 5 minutes or until tomatoes just split. Meanwhile, blanch peas in boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes or until just tender, drain, add to tomato mixture, and stir to combine. Season to taste and add mint leaves. To serve, halve lamb racks, arrange pancetta and summer vegetables on plates, top with lamb and mint béarnaise and serve immediately.

Note For clarified butter, melt cold cubed butter, pour into a jug, stand, skim surface then pour off clear butter and reserve, discarding milk fat. 250gm butter will yield 225ml of clarified butter.
Notes

Jamie Morgan

Styling by Emma Knowles