Whole grilled rack of lamb With grilled baby gem lettuce, toasted hazelnuts And chilli, herb And Anchovy butter
serves 4-6
Lamb racks are ideal for barbecuing as they have the perfect mix of fat, bone and meat to provide lots of flavour and different textures.
Anchovy chilli butter
Strain the oil off the anchovy fillets and finely chop.
Crush the garlic well with a pinch of salt. Grate butter into a bowl and add chilli, mint, parsley and anchovy fillets. Season with black pepper, mix with your hands then place into a small bowl and cover. This will keep in the fridge for a week but should be taken out one hour before using to soften.
to cook the lamb
Season racks with salt and pepper then rub all over with a tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange the barbecue so you have a hot and cooler section.
Cook the lamb bone side down on the hot part of the grill for about six minutes, then sear both ends and the exposed section of meat.
Turn the rack over (fat side down) and cook for about 10 minutes on the cool part of the grill to render it down and make it crispy. If it flares, push away more coals. Add the thyme and rosemary under the rack and cook on the low heat for another five minutes.
Take off the barbecue, lightly cover and rest for five minutes.
Slice the baby gems in half lengthways and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Cook on the hot part of the grill for a couple of minutes each side then lay on a serving plate. Smear the anchovy butter over the hot lettuce and lamb rack and scatter with hazelnuts.