WALNUT-CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB WITH PROSCIUTTO & KAWAKAWA JELLY
SERVES 2 / PREPARATION 15 MINUTES / COOKING 40 MINUTES
Lamb racks are often cooked hard and fast, but the secret to getting the crust just right and the lamb perfectly cooked, is to place the lamb into a cold oven. I know this sounds ultra-experimental, but trust me, it works. The prosciutto keeps the lamb moist and rich as it cooks, and the lamb won’t burn or shrink.
4 tablespoons Uncle Joe’s walnut paste 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, chopped
1 lamb rack, frenched, with 8 chops
180g prosciutto or pancetta sprigs of rosemary and thyme for roasting the lamb 2-3 black garlic cloves
2 tablespoons pumpkin seed oil
FOR THE BLACK GARLIC AIOLI 4 cloves black garlic
2 cloves garlic
2 egg yolks
150ml grapeseed oil 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon lemon juice
TO SERVE Manaaki Kawakawa Jelly Manaaki Horopito and Lemon Sauce black garlic aioli
In a small bowl, combine the walnut paste with the chopped thyme and rosemary. Add a touch of salt and stir together.
Coat the lamb with half the paste. Wrap the prosciutto around the lamb between the bones, leaving them exposed. Spread the remaining walnut paste over the prosciutto.
Turn the oven on to fan bake at 200˚C. Place the sprigs of rosemary and thyme in a roasting pan along with the black garlic cloves and drizzle with the pumpkin seed oil. Place the lamb on top of the herb bed and put into the oven and cook for about 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 54-58˚C. Remove from the oven, transfer the lamb to a chopping board, cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes before carving between the bones. Pour any roasting juices into a small bowl.
To make the black garlic aioli, blend the black garlic with the ordinary garlic and egg yolks in a food processor. With the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream until the mixture is thick and emulsified. Add the vinegar and lemon juice, season with a touch of salt and process to combine everything. If it’s too thick, add a teaspoon or two of hot water to thin it down.
To serve, place the lamb chops on serving plates with spoonfuls of the kawakawa jelly, horopito and lemon sauce and the black garlic aioli. Spoon the reserved pan juices over the lamb and serve.