Lamb rack with harissa, beans and yoghurt mash

Name: Lamb rack with harissa, beans and yoghurt mash recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 180g kalamata olives, pitted; 1 tbs harissa; 2 tbs tomato paste (concentrated puree); 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil; 1.2 kg rack of lamb, Frenched and cut into 2 equal racks; 500g cherry tomatoes; 400g can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed; 2 garlic bulbs, halved horizontally; 1kg russet or Dutch cream potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces; 50g butter, chopped; 130g Greek-style yoghurt; Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper; Baby spinach, to serve

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by Lucy Tweed

Sep 23, 2021

“Lamb conjures up all sorts of memories in our house, from my husband’s family farm in New Zealand where they toss shanks to the dogs, to my grandmother’s house that smelled of roasting lamb, woody chardonnay and Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door, no matter the time of day.” This is an edited extract from Every Night of the Week by Lucy Tweed. Photography by Lucy Tweed. (Murdoch Books, $35).

180g kalamata olives, pitted
1 tbs harissa
2 tbs tomato paste (concentrated puree)
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
1.2 kg rack of lamb, Frenched and cut into 2 equal racks
500g cherry tomatoes
400g can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
2 garlic bulbs, halved horizontally
1kg russet or Dutch cream potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
50g butter, chopped
130g Greek-style yoghurt
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Baby spinach, to serve

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Blitz the olives, harissa, tomato paste and 2 tbs of oil until smooth, then spread all over the lamb meat.
2.

Heat the remaining oil in a flameproof roasting pan over high heat and sear the lamb, fat-side down, until browned and starting to crisp up.
3.

Set the lamb aside and wipe out any really burnt bits from the pan.
4.

Arrange the tomatoes, beans and garlic in the pan and sit the lamb on top.
5.

Roast for 25-30 minutes if you like your lamb pink, or add another 15 minutes if you prefer it grey. Rest the lamb in a warm place for 15 minutes.
6.

While the lamb is roasting, make the mash. Boil the potato in a large saucepan of salted water for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain and return to the pan.
7.

Add the butter and yoghurt, and mash to your preferred consistency. Season to taste and keep warm until the lamb is ready.
8.

When you dish up, serve the garlic in whole chunks and let people squeeze the pockets of golden gooey garlic into their dinner, or mouths. Serve with baby spinach.