Lamb Rack with an Aubergine Cigar

Nick Street-Brown is Head Chef at Château Rigaud and has given us this fabulous recipe for our exclusive use online.

Lamb rack, spiced aubergine, oven roasted tomato, goat cheese and crispy chickpeas

Serves 4

2 Lamb racks (16 bones)

1 Aubergine (diced)

1 tsp Cumin ground

1 tsp Coriander ground

½ tsp Paprika

4 Garlic cloves (peeled)

1 Red onion

4 Bric pastry sheets

8 Cherry Tomatoes

2 Thyme sprigs

200g Goat cheese

100g Cooked chickpeas (drained)

1 Cucumber (peeled into ribbons)

1 Egg

Garden herbs and/or edible flowers (for garnish)

Olive oil

1L Vegetable oil

Method:

Begin by halving the cherry tomatoes, finely slice one garlic clove and place a slice on each half of tomato, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme. Place on a lined baking tray and place in 120°C oven until they start to wrinkle up, them remove and set to one side.

Next make the aubergine cigar. Finely dice the red onion and finely mince the garlic, fry the garlic and onion in olive oil for 4 mins or until soft. Add the aubergine. Increase the heat and fry until golden brown and soft, add the spices and fry for a further minute, season to taste and set aside to cool.

Lay out the 4 Bric pastry sheets and divide the aubergine mix between them. Fold the pastry over the mix the same way you would a spring roll. Use a beaten egg to stick the edges then set aside. To make the goat cheese puree add the goat cheese to a bowl and beat with a fork until smooth, then set aside. Add the vegetable oil to a deep saucepan and heat to 180°C.

Pat the chickpeas to dry them then fry in the oil until deep golden brown. Then scoop out onto kitchen paper towel. Set the oven to 200°, season the lamb rack, fry in a saucepan with olive oil, then place in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 50° then rest for 10 mins.

To finish, fry the “cigars” in the oil until golden brown, then drain on paper towel. Smear goat cheese onto 4 plates, place 1 cigar on each, cut the racks into 4 and place 1 on each plate. Then dress with cucumber rolls, herbs, edible flowers, tomatoes and crispy chickpeas.

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Images: Chateau Rigaud