Feast on a mouth-watering rack of Welsh spring lamb

Jimmy Williams, executive chef at Signatures Restaurant, Conwy, shares his recipe for the perfect Sunday dinner.

Signatures, which is part of Aberconwy Resort & Spa, was recently named Best Large Restaurant in the National Tourism Awards Wales, as voted for by the public.

His recipe:

One of the best things about the weekend is the time we get to spend with friends and family. What better way to get together than with a lovingly prepared meal, that makes the most of local, Welsh produce?

This deceptively simple recipe is a take on the nostalgia-inducing Sunday roasts we all grew up with, but with a modern twist.

Please make sure that the lamb you use is Welsh. It’s far sweeter and more succulent than the alternatives and, living where we do, there’s no excuse to go further afield. For the rest of the ingredients, use good, waxy new potatoes, unsalted butter (salted is more likely to burn in the pan) and I’ll leave it to you to choose the red wine!

Ingredients (serves four)

 Meat

280g rack of Welsh lamb

Oil to seer

Salt & pepper

Rosemary potatoes

12 waxy new potatoes, cooked and cut in half

Chopped rosemary

Oil

Knob of unsalted butter

Salt & pepper

Creamed leeks

1 large or two small leeks, chopped.

1 finely shredded carrot (Julienne)

2 finely chopped shallots

400ml double cream

Oil

Salt & pepper

Parsnip crisps

Oil for deep frying

1 parsnip

Salt

Red wine gravy

1 glass of red wine

2 tsp redcurrant jelly

1 clove of garlic

½ pt lamb stock

1 tsp of cornflour mixed to a paste with water, to thicken

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180°C.

1. Season lamb rack with salt and pepper. Put it in a pan, fat side down to colour. Turn the meat periodically to ensure all sides are sealed.
2. Start the gravy by putting red wine, redcurrant sauce and chopped garlic into a small pan, simmer and reduce for five minutes or until it has a syrup-like consistency.
3. Put the lamb into the pre-heated oven (12 minutes for medium rare lamb that’s pink in the middle, longer if you prefer it well done).
4. Put the leeks in a dry pan then add the double cream, season with salt and pepper and leave to simmer and reduce.
5. To prepare to Make the parsnip crisps, heat two inches depth of oil in a pan until it reaches 180°C.
6. Heat some oil in a pan and add the new potatoes cut side down, then add a knob of unsalted butter. Add chopped rosemary and rocksalt then heat until turning a golden brown and put in the oven.
7. Once the oil is hot, put a small batch of parsnips into the pan and fry until crispy. Don’t fry to many at once or they won’t get crispy.
8. Once the batch is finished, remove the crisps and place on a cloth to absorb the moisture. Season with rock salt, which also helps the parsnips stay crisp, before starting the next batch.
9. Check leeks, and add Julienne carrots and finely sliced shallots to give texture, and stir.
10. Take the lamb out of the oven and rest for 5-7 minutes before slicing.
11. To make the gravy: Add half a pint of lamb stock to the red wine and redcurrant reduction and simmer. Add cornflour paste and whisk while still on the heat. Simmer for 5 minutes.
12. Take potatoes out of the oven, season creamed leeks with salt and pepper and prepare to plate up.

To serve:

Slice lamb.

1. Place creamed leeks on plate.
2. Add Rosemary potatoes.
3. Put the sliced lamb on top of the leeks.
4. Put parsnip crisps on top of the lamb.
5. Finish with the red wine gravy.

This article first appeared in South Wales windows, doors, conservatories and orangeries specialist Securahome’s newsletter Ffordd o fyw. To subscribe to Ffordd o fyw contact us here: https://www.securahome.co.uk/contact/