Preheat the oven to 90°C. Trim fat from the lamb and season with salt. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. Gently pan-fry the racks until golden brown all over.

On a baking tray, make a bed of thyme and place lamb on top, along with the unpeeled garlic cloves. Sprinkle with sumac and roast for 45-50 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 54°C. Remove from oven and allow to rest somewhere warm for 10 minutes. Check the garlic; if needed, continue to roast until very soft.

Cook the quinoa in a saucepan with plenty of cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Drain off any remaining liquid and allow to cool.

Make a dressing from 25ml lemon juice, 4 tbsp of olive oil and seasoning.

In a food processor, squeeze out the puree from two cloves of roasted garlic and add tahini, lemon juice and zest, 1 tbsp of olive oil and seasoning. While the processor is running, add around 1/2 cup of warm water (depending on viscosity) in a steady stream. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add water until desired consistency is achieved.

Just before serving, mix the quinoa with olives, pistachios, herbs and lemon dressing. Carve the lamb and plate with tahini sauce, quinoa salad, and extra cloves for those who love their roast garlic.

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Food photography by William meppem. Food styling by Hannah Meppem. Food preparation by Alice Story.