Michel Roux Jr’s rack of lamb with an olive crust

Straight out of Provence, this rack of lamb with braised fennel is good served with roasted new potatoes.

Michel Roux Jr’s rack of lamb with an olive crust. Picture: Cristian Barnett

Straight out of Provence, this rack of lamb with braised fennel is good served with roasted new potatoes. This is a recipe for the weekend, when you can linger over a special meal and perhaps a glass or two of wine.

RACK OF LAMB WITH AN OLIVE CRUST

60g pitted green olives

40g ground almonds

30g breadcrumbs

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 racks of lamb (French trimmed)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Braised fennel

2 fennel bulbs

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons pastis

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Juice of 1 lemon

200ml vegetable or chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients for the lamb except the meat in a food processor and blend until smooth. The mixture should come together as a paste. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Season the lamb, then place the racks fat-side down in a pan over medium heat to render the fat and brown the skin. When the racks are nicely brown, take the pan off the heat. Turn the racks over and spread the olive paste all over the browned meat and skin, then transfer them to a roasting tin. Roast the lamb racks for 12 minutes for pink meat. Take them out and leave them to rest for 7-8 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, trim the fennel bulbs and cut them into quarters. Heat the oil in a pan and carefully fry the fennel on all sides until lightly coloured. Add the pastis, followed by the fennel seeds, lemon juice and stock. Season and simmer until the fennel is tender and the liquid has almost completely evaporated. Serve with the lamb. Serves 4-6

Chef Michel Roux Jr owns three London restaurants, including renowned two-Michelin star Le Gavroche, and is the author of six cookbooks. Edited extract from The French Revolution – 140 Classic Recipes Made Fresh & Simple by Michel Roux Jr (Seven Dials, $59.99). Photography: Cristian Barnett.