Mustard rack of Lamb with minted ricotta

 Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20-40 minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:
2 frenched racks Lamb (8 cutlets each rack)
4 roma tomatoes
balsamic vinegar, to drizzle
olive oil, to drizzle
2 bunches thin asp
1 extra tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp french mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp dried mint flakes
For the Minted Ricotta
150g fresh ricotta
1/3 cup cream
1/3 cup finely choped mint
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mashed potato to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 160C. Halve tomatoes lengthways, place on a tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Cook for 30 minutes. Then add the asparagus to the baking tray and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for a further 15 minutes or until the tomatoes and asparagus are tender. Remove from oven.

2. Increase the oven temperature to200C. Place Lamb racks in roasting dish. Smear each rack with the combined extra olive oil, mustard, garlic and mint. Roast for 20 minutes for rare, 30 minutes for medium and 40 minutes for welldone.

3. Remove Lamb from oven, loosely cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes before serving. To serve, cut racks into pairs, place a pair of racks on serplates and drizzle with any pan juices. Arrange the tomatoes and asparagus on the side and top with the minted ricotta. Serve with mashed potato.

To make minted ricotta: mix the ricotta and cream until smooth. Add the mint and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

 Tips for barbecuing a Lamb roast - keep the heat in

Cooking a Lamb roast on a barbecue is one of the easiest ways there is to cook Lamb - but these tips will help you become an expert.

If roasting in a gas barbecue:

Barbecue should be preheated with all burners on.

When placing the meat on the barbecue, turn off the burners directly under the food, leaving the remaining burners to conduct and circulate the heat.

For best result burners should be on high.

Do not open the lid too often during the cooking time – every time you open the hood you lose valuable heat.

If roasting in a kettle style barbecue:

Preheat according to the manufacturer’s manual. As a general rule, heap about 25 heat beads in rails on each side.

Heat beads give off excellent heat and burn for longer than charcoal.

The initial temperature will slowly drop allowing the heat to penetrate into the centre of the meat without overcooking the outside.

If you do need to boost the temperature during cooking, add 6 to 10 heat beads each side at 1 hour intervals.

When is it ready?

For best results use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the roast Lamb. Use the following as a guideline:
- 60°C for rare
- 65-70°C for medium
- 75°C for well done

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