Rick Stein: rack of lamb

If you are looking for a perfect Easter Sunday lunch we've got the ideal recipe for your family gathering - a delicious rack of lamb from TV chef and restauranteur Rick Stein.

It's from his latest book Rick Stein's Food Stories, a collection of new classic recipes that celebrate today's British cuisine.

Rack of lamb with summer vegetable melange

Serves 4

Ingredients for the lamb

• 2 x 8-bone racks of lamb, French-trimmed
• 2 tbsp oil
• 100ml red wine or port
• 1 tsp redcurrant jelly
• 200ml lamb or beef stock
• knob of butter
• salt and black pepper

Ingredients for the vegetable melange

• 200g frozen broad beans, defrosted
• 15g butter
• 1 banana shallot, chopped
• 400g tin of flageolet beans, drained and rinsed
• 100g frozen peas, defrosted
• small handful of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• small handful of parsley, finely chopped
• salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200⁰C/fan 180⁰C/gas 6. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a roasting tin and brown the lamb all over, then cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes for pink lamb or 20 minutes for medium.

2. Cover the lamb with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes before carving into individual cutlets.

3. For the vegetable melange, remove the greyish outer skins from the broad beans. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, blanch the beans, then drain and set aside.

4. Heat the butter in a pan over a medium heat and gently fry the shallot until soft. Add the flageolets, broad beans and peas and cook for a few minutes until the vegetables are softened but still have some bite. Season and stir through the herbs.

5. Place the roasting tin on the hob, add the wine or port and bring to the boil. Add the redcurrant jelly and stock, then season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and stir while the sauce reduces a little, then swirl in the butter.

Add any juices from carving and serve with the lamb, dauphinoise potatoes and green vegetables.

Quick dauphinoise potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 900g floury potatoes, peeled
• 15g butter, for greasing
• 300ml double cream
• 300ml whole milk
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• freshly grated nutmeg
• salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200⁰C/fan 180⁰C/gas 6. Slice the potatoes very thinly by hand or using a mandoline or food processor. Lightly butter a 1.5-litre shallow ovenproof dish.

2. Put the cream, milk and garlic in a large, non-stick saucepan and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring them very gently now and then so as not to break up the slices. They are ready once just tender when pierced with a sharp knife.

3. Spoon everything into the buttered dish, overlapping the top layer of potatoes neatly if you wish. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.