Renvyle House Hotel

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Connemara lamb with a herb and mustard crust

serves 4

© At home in Renvyle by Tim O’Sullivan, 2005

Ingredients

• 2 Racks of Lamb (Trimmed)
• Salt & Pepper
• Rosemary, as Required
• 2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
• Herb & Apricot Stuffing
• 75-100g/ 3-5 oz Butter
• 2 Shallots
• 100g / 4 oz Mixed Fresh Herbs (Parsley, Thyme, Mint)
• 50g / 2 oz Dried Apricots
• 100g / 4 oz Fresh White Breadcrumbs
• Ratatouille
• ½ Aubergine
• 2 Peppers, Deseeded
• 2 Courgettes
• 6 Mushrooms
• 1 Clove Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tomatoes (Skinned, Deseeded & Chopped)
• Rosemary Jus
• 1 Glass Of Red Wine
• Rosemary
• 1 Tsp Redcurrant Jelly
• 25g / 1 oz Butter
• To Finish (Optional)
• Pesto
• Garnish (Optional)
• 1 Parsnip (Thinly Sliced Lengthways)
• Flat Leaf Parsley

Method

1. Heat a large griddle pan and season the lamb with salt and pepper.  Seal the lamb on both sides in the pan, add a little rosemary and place in a roasting tin in a fairly hot oven, 400°F / 200°C / Gas Mark 6, for 18 minutes or until it is cooked as you like it.
2. To make the stuffing: Melt the butter in a pot, add most of the herbs with the chopped apricots and diced shallots.  Cook for about 3 minutes, mix in most of the breadcrumbs and keep warm.
3. To make the “Ratatouille”: Dice all of the listed vegetables finely and cook in oil with the crushed garlic and the tomatoes for 5 minutes. Keep warm.
4. To make the sauce: Remove the lamb from the oven and set aside; for the sauce, deglaze the pan with red wine and a pinch of chopped rosemary.  Add the redcurrant jelly and work in 25g / 1 oz of butter.
5. To finish the lamb: Coat the outside surface with a mixture of mustard, the remaining crumbs and the rest of the mixed herbs. Finish under a hot grill for 2 minutes to crispen and brown.

Garnish:

1. Deep fry the sliced parsnips in hot oil until crispy