WITH CREAMY POLENTA, ROASTED BABY VEGETABLES & EXOTIC MUSHROOM SAUCE

Serves:  4

Preparation Time:  30 minutes

Cooking Time:  30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Lamb

• Lamb rack, with 8 bones – trimmed & bones cleaned
• Salt
• Pepper
• 45ml olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, squashed
• 3 sprigs rosemary

Polenta

• 4 – 4 ½ cups water
• 1 cup polenta
• ½ cup parmesan, grated
• 1 tsp salt
• Baby Vegetables
• 20 baby carrots, cleaned
• 20 baby turnips, cleaned
• 45ml olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 5 sprigs thyme

Exotic Mushroom Sauce

• 15ml butter
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2.5ml thyme leaves
• 150g exotic mushrooms, trimmed
• 100ml white wine
• 150ml chicken stock
• 250ml cream
• Salt
• Pepper

METHOD

Lamb

Remove the lamb rack from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Score the skin and cover each bone with foil.

Preheat the oven to 190C.

Season the lamb rack generously with salt and pepper.

Put a pan big enough to fit the lamb rack onto the stove top over a medium-low heat. Add the olive oil, squashed garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Once hot, add the lamb rack skin side down. Allow to render down until golden all round.

Remove from a pan and place on an oven tray with all the pan juices.

Place in the oven and roast for about 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 52C (medium rare). Allow to rest under foil for 5 minutes.

Just before serving, carve the lamb rack between each bone so you have 8 pieces, otherwise every second bone so you have 4 pieces.

Polenta

Bring the water to boil in a pot on the stove top.

When it starts to boil, slowly pour in the polenta, whisking continuously. Turn the heat down to a simmer and put the lid on. Allow to cook for about 15 minutes until thick and creamy, stirring often. If it gets too thick, add the remaining water.

Once cooked, stir through the parmesan and salt.

Baby Vegetables

Preheat the oven to 190C.

Place the baby carrots and baby turnips into a roasting tray. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle over salt, pepper and the thyme sprigs. Toss so they are evenly coated.

Place the tray in the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes, until cooked through and golden. Toss halfway through the cooking.

Exotic Mushrooms Sauce

Heat the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until soft. Turn up the heat and add the thyme and exotic mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms are golden. Deglaze with the white wine and allow to simmer until almost completely evaporated. Add the chicken stock cream and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

TO PLATE:

Scoop the polenta into the center of the 4 plates, top with the lamb and scatter the vegetables around. Drizzle over the exotic mushrooms sauce.

Recipes developed and styled thanks to Lisa Clark Food Stylist