Ingredients
| 4 tablespoons Uncle Joe’s walnut paste | |
| 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped | |
| 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, chopped | |
| 1 lamb rack, frenched, with 8 chops | |
| 180g prosciutto or pancetta | |
| sprigs of rosemary and thyme for roasting the lamb | |
| 2-3 black garlic cloves | |
| 2 tablespoons pumpkin seed oil | |
| FOR THE BLACK GARLIC AIOLI | |
| 4 cloves black garlic | |
| 2 cloves garlic | |
| 2 egg yolks | |
| 150ml grapeseed oil | |
| 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar | |
| 1 tablespoon lemon juice | |
| TO SERVE | |
| Manaaki Kawakawa Jelly | |
| Manaaki Horopito and Lemon Sauce | |
| black garlic aioli |
Lamb racks are often cooked hard and fast, but the secret to getting the crust just right and the lamb perfectly cooked, is to place the lamb into a cold oven. I know this sounds ultra-experimental, but trust me, it works. The prosciutto keeps the lamb moist and rich as it cooks, and the lamb won’t burn or shrink.
Instructions
| 1. | In a small bowl, combine the walnut paste with the chopped thyme and rosemary. Add a touch of salt and stir together. |
| 2. | Coat the lamb with half the paste. |
| 3. | Wrap the prosciutto around the lamb between the bones, leaving them exposed. |
| 4. | Spread the remaining walnut paste over the prosciutto. |
| 5. | Turn the oven on to fan bake at 200 ĚŠC. |
| 6. | Place the sprigs of rosemary and thyme in a roasting pan along with the black garlic cloves and drizzle with the pumpkin seed oil. |
| 7. | Place the lamb on top of the herb bed and put into the oven and cook for about 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 54-58 ĚŠC. |
| 8. | Remove from the oven, transfer the lamb to a chopping board, cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes before carving between the bones. |
| 9. | Pour any roasting juices into a small bowl. |
| 10. | To make the black garlic aioli, blend the black garlic with the ordinary garlic and egg yolks in a food processor. |
| 11. | With the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream until the mixture is thick and emulsified. |
| 12. | Add the vinegar and lemon juice, season with a touch of salt and process to combine everything. |
| 13. | If it’s too thick, add a teaspoon or two of hot water to thin it down. |
| 14. | To serve, place the lamb chops on serving plates with spoonfuls of the kawakawa jelly, horopito and lemon sauce and the black garlic aioli. |
| 15. | Spoon the reserved pan juices over the lamb and serve. |
Photography Amber-Jayne Bain
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