Treshnish Rack of Lamb Persian-Style with Jewelled Rice

Food Main Courses Gluten-free

Carla Lamont, Ninth Wave

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4 Servings

Ingredients

LAMB

2 racks of Treshnish lamb, French-trimmed

4 tbsp pomegranate seeds

JEWELLED RICE

250g basmati rice

500ml water

1/4 tsp salt

60g barberries (or dried cranberries)

1 tsp butter

1/4 tsp saffron threads

Pinch sugar

2 pinches dried rose petals

GOLPAR PASTE (A Persian take on pesto)

2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

2 tbsp mint, chopped

2 tbsp Asian basil, chopped

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1 tsp agave syrup or honey

40g walnuts, chopped

1/2 tsp ground Golpar (hogweed seeds) or ground fennel seeds

To taste sea salt and pepper

SPINACH BOORANIYEH (A creamy yoghurt and garlic dip)

60g sweet white onion

1 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

325g fresh spinach

125ml yoghurt

125ml sour cream

1/2 tsp sea salt

Pinch of black pepper

Method

LAMB
Preheat oven to 220ºC
If you are using a fatty lamb rack, the fat cap must either be rendered fat down in a frying pan on low until most of the fat is melted off, or trimmed to a suitable thickness
Score the fat lightly in a criss-cross pattern, but without cutting through to the meat
Place the lamb in a roasting tray and spread a generous tablespoon of golpar paste over it
Roast for 15 minutes for rare, or 20 for medium-rare. After 10 minutes, cover with tin foil
Once cooked, leave to rest, covered, in a warm place for 5 to 7 minutes
JEWELLED RICE
Rinse rice in cold water then bring to the boil with all the ingredients
Stir, then cover and turn heat to low. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes
GOLPAR PASTE
Using a pestle and mortar, grind herbs, garlic and walnuts to combine
Add other ingredients and mix. Season to taste
SPINACH BOORANIYEH
Steam spinach for 3 minutes, allow to cool
fry onions in a dash of olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook for a further minute. Cool
Add onions and garlic to yoghurt. Add sea salt and pepper and mix
Squeeze water from spinach and chop, add it to the yoghurt and mix
To serve, carve the lamb to give each person two or three cutlets. Spoon the rice onto warmed plates and arrange the cutlets on top. Garnish with a teaspoon of spinach booraniyeh, golpar mix and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds and rose petals