ingredients
serves 4
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 1/4 pound potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
butter, to grease
salt and pepper
1/2 pint hot vegetable stock
2 French-trimmed racks of lamb, each with 8 cutlets
3 tbsp grainy French mustard
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
2 tsp chopped rosemary, plus 1 long stem
4 tbsp chopped flat-leafed parsley
6 tbsp olive oil
method
1. Put the onion into a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes, then drain.
2. Layer the potatoes, onion and garlic in a greased 2 1/2 pint roasting tin, starting and ending with potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and add the hot stock. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan oven) for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender, basting every 20 minutes.
3. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and spread the mustard over the meaty side.
4. Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Add the chopped rosemary, parsley, olive oil and seasoning; mix well. Press the mixture on to the mustard-coated surface of the lamb. Stand the lamb racks on a wire rack, resting on the rosemary stem.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 220°C (400°F). Sit the rack holding the lamb on top of the potatoes and cook in the oven for 40 minutes for rare, 50 minutes for medium-rare lamb. Cover with foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
