Silere rack of lamb

Silere rack of lamb, nutty spelt, braised baby gem with anchoïade and crispy anchovy, and lamb jus infused with rosemary and thyme

Beautiful Merino lamb is a rare delicacy. Silere Merino sheep roam freely in alpine meadows in New Zealand, foraging on golden tussock and wild mountain thyme. With fresh air, dramatic scenery and the stars above them, they live life in harmony with the seasons, maturing slowly and naturally. The lamb is cooked toward the rare side of medium-rare, preserving the fragrant mountain flavours with just enough heat to render the fat and transform the finely grained marbling into absolute succulence. Nutty spelt, lightly braised baby gem, and a lamb jus infused with rosemary and thyme bring contrasting textures and earthy flavours, while the wickedly moreish garlic-anchovy Anchoïade delivers a sucker punch to break up all the serenity. 

Ingredients

Feeds 4

  • 2 Silere french-trimmed racks of lamb, weighing approx. 500g each

  • 100g unsalted butter

  • 10 sprigs fresh thyme 

  • 4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed

LAMB JUS

  • 500g lamb bones

  • 100ml red wine

  • 25ml port

  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 1 carrot, diced

  • 1 celery stalk, diced

  • 1 garlic clove, halved

  • 3 parsley stalks

  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 2 sprigs rosemary

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 400ml chicken stock; I use TRUEfoods

  • 200ml veal stock; I use Veal jus from TRUEfoods

ANCHOÏADE

  • 65g garlic cloves

  • 140g water

  • 170g whole milk

  • 1 splash lemon juice

  • 12g anchovy fillets in oil, ideally Ortiz anchovies

  • Chardonnay vinegar to taste

  • 25g rapeseed oil

SPELT

  • 160g spelt, use whole spelt but pearled works too

  • 1 tsp unsalted butter

  • 1 tbsp water 

BRAISED BABY GEM

  • 2 baby gem lettuces

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 25ml white wine 

BREADED ANCHOVY

  • 4 anchovy fillets in oil, ideally Ortiz anchovies

  • 20g plain flour

  • 1 egg

  • 50g panko breadcrumbs

GARNISH

  • Fresh chives, finely sliced

Method

The day before, make the lamb jus and optionally prepare the racks of lamb. Removing the knuckle bones at the base of each rib does make the lamb carving easier. Be very careful and get a feel for the shape of the knuckle. You don’t want to cut into the eye of the meat. Square off the ends to ensure equal portions. Reserve the knuckles and any trimmings for the jus. Gently tie the racks alongside each rib to lift the eye meat toward the ribs. Don’t tie so tightly that you deform the natural shape. Place the racks onto a tray then into the fridge. 

Silere rack of lamb

French trimmed rack of lamb

LAMB JUS

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. 

2. Roast the lamb bones in a wide and shallow pan for 45 to 60 minutes. 

3. Add any lamb trimmings and roast for a further 10 to 15 minutes. 

4. Remove bones from the oven and pass through a sieve. Let the bones drip free of fat. Return the fat to the pan. 

5. Place the pan on a medium to high heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook on the hob until lightly browned. Pass through a sieve then use kitchen roll to remove the fat without disturbing the bits stuck to the bottom–that’s flavour. 

6. Return the vegetables and bones to the pan with the wine and port. Bring to the boil over a high heat and reduce to a glaze. 

7. Add some of the chicken stock and scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to release the flavour. Transfer the contents to a deeper, narrower pan. Add the herbs plus the remaining chicken stock, the veal stock, and enough cold water to cover the bones. Bring to a simmer over a low to medium heat–don’t let it boil. Cook for 50 minutes, skimming regularly to remove any scum and fat. 

8. Remove from the heat and pass through a fine sieve lined with damp double muslin cloth. Leave to cool then refrigerate overnight. 

9. The next day, scrape away the layer of fat on top and discard. Pour into a saucepan, bring to a simmer and reduce to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon.

10. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve lined with damp double muslin cloth for the second time and reserve in the fridge until needed.

ANCHOÏADE

1. Peel the garlic cloves, place in a pan with the water and 140g of milk and bring to the boil. Skim the froth from the milk as it boils; skim at least 5 times to ensure all the impurities are removed. Only then add the last 30g of milk and make sure the liquid covers the garlic. Simmer over a low heat until the garlic cloves break down into any remaining milk to form a thick paste. Chill in the fridge.

2. Transfer the chilled garlic paste to a blender and blitz with the anchovies, lemon juice and a splash of vinegar until smooth. Gradually add the oil with the motor running slowly to emulsify. Be aware how thick it is getting and add some water to loosen if necessary. Pass through a fine sieve and taste, adding more vinegar if needed. Store in a squeezy bottle or small piping bag. 

SPELT

1. Cook the spelt according to the packet instructions. Drain then run briefly under cold water to cool. Tip onto some kitchen roll and pat dry. Place in a container and reserve in the fridge.

RACK OF LAMB

1. Half-hour before cooking, take the lamb from the fridge and leave until at room temperature. 

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170C. 

3. Pat the racks dry with kitchen paper. Season the fat side with salt then place the racks fat-side down into a hot frying pan. Gently press to ensure the fat gets an even contact with the pan. Cook to a golden colour. 

4. Season the meat side of the lamb. Add butter, thyme and garlic. Maintain a moderate heat in the pan to keep the butter foaming. Baste the meat and bones. Keep the racks fat-side down at all times. 

5. Place the frying pan into the oven and cook for around 10 minutes. You want a core temperature of 50C. 

6. Rest the lamb fat-side down in a warm tray for 10 minutes. The final core temperature should be no higher than 53C for medium-rare.  

BRAISED BABY GEM

1. Remove any shabby or damaged outer leaves. Trim the roots but keep them intact to hold the leaves together. 

2. Cut the baby gems into halves. Rinse downwards under running cold water and pat dry. 

3. Heat oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Place the baby gems cut-side down in the pan. Leave to cook for a few minutes until golden brown then turn onto the curved side, add the wine and reduce for a couple of minutes. 

BREADED ANCHOVY

1. Heat the oil to 180C.

2. Pat the anchovy fillets dry with kitchen roll.

3. When the oil is at temperature, coat the fillets in flour and shake to remove any excess. Dip into the whisked egg and let the excess drip away. Coat evenly with panko breadcrumbs. 

4. Lower the fillets into the hot oil releasing away from you each time. It should take about a minute to achieve a crispy golden coating.

5. Remove the fillets from the oil and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm and do not cover, otherwise the crumb will go soggy. 

TO SERVE

1. While the lamb is resting, warm the plates.

2. Reheat the spelt. Melt butter in a pan with water over a medium heat. Add the spelt and gently move the pan back and forth to emulsify the liquids and coat the spelt. Leave to warm through, shaking occasionally. Season to taste.

3. Gently reheat the lamb jus. Add a little water if it has over-reduced. Season to taste. 

4. Flash the breaded anchovy fillets along with the baby gems in the oven for a few minutes. Brush the flat sides of the gems with the pan juices. Squeeze anchoïade over the flat side and sprinkle with chopped chives. Place the breaded anchovy fillet on top. 

5. Carve the lamb into slices down each bone. Rest for 30 more seconds. 

6. To plate up, add the spelt first followed by a loaded baby gem to its right. Arrange 3 slices of the lamb, lift together and touch the bottom onto kitchen paper. Place just left of the spelt. Spoon the jus around the lamb but not over it. 

Silere rack of lamb, nutty spelt, braised baby gem with anchoïade and crispy anchovy, and lamb jus infused with rosemary and thyme

MEAT, RECIPESimon Bakerlamb, anchovyComment