Lamb cutlets with minted potatoes and pea crush

Try this tasty potato and lamb dish and always choose Quality Mark beef and lamb.
Thanks very much to Beef Lamb NZ for sharing this recipe.

Serves 4

Lamb:
1 Quality Mark lamb rack with 8 cutlets
Salt and freshly ground pepper for seasoning

Herb paste:
2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp capers
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs e.g. flat-leaf parsley, mint, basil

Pan jus:
½ cup red wine
1 cup Campbell’s Real Stock – Salt Reduced Beef
1 tsp butter

Pea crush:
3 cups frozen baby peas
1½ cups chopped spinach
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup grated parmesan
¼ cup cream

Minted potatoes:
600g boiling or new potatoes, peeled and sliced into even-sized pieces
2 sprigs mint
1-2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp chopped mint for garnish

Lamb:
Trim any fat from the lamb rack and carefully remove the silverskin with a sharp knife. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a pan over a very high heat. Sear the lamb racks for a couple of minutes until browned all over. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool. Don’t wash the pan.

Herb paste:
In a small food processor or mortar and pestle (or chop everything finely), mix the oil, capers, garlic and fresh herbs to a chunky paste. Smear the mixture generously over the cooled lamb racks and leave for 30 minutes, or longer if you have time.

Pan jus:
Add the wine to the hot pan in which the lamb was cooked and let it bubble up for 30 seconds. Add the stock and simmer gently until reduced to a light sauce or jus, about 5-10 minutes. Whisk in the butter. Set aside and keep warm.

Pea crush:
Cook peas in salted boiling water until tender. Drain and place in a food processor with the spinach, lemon zest and juice, parmesan and cream. Process until well combined but still a little chunky. Taste and season as required (you can use a potato masher instead of a food processor).
Tip: make sure you do it when the peas are hot so they wilt the spinach.

Minted potatoes:
Scrub or peel potatoes as required. Slice in half if necessary.
Place in a heavy-based saucepan with the sprigs of mint and cover with cold water. Place a lid on the saucepan.
Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tender when tested with the point of a knife. Drain.
Add butter and chopped mint to cooked potatoes and toss to coat evenly.

Preheat the oven to 210°C.
Place the lamb rack in a roasting dish and roast in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover and rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 2-bone pieces. Spoon some pea purée on four plates, top with a 2-bone piece of lamb rack and drizzle jus over. Serve with minted potatoes.