While Cabernet is the usual wine match for lamb, a medium bodied spice laden and savoury Hunter Valley Shiraz is a match of equal beauty. Its tannins will tackle the fat in Chef Bryan Anton's lamb dish, while the black fruit and spice will complement the sweetness of the meat.
Ingredients
6 x 4 cutlet frenched trimmed
lamb racks
40g mint leaves
3 garlic cloves
200g pistachio nuts, roasted
100ml extra virgin olive oil,
plus a little for frying
1 small lemon, zest and juice
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
400ml chicken stock
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
300g cous cous
100g green peas
75g pine nuts, toasted
2 x quarters preserved lemon, insides scraped out and skin finely sliced
½ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Tahini cucumber sauce
1 cup Greek yoghurt
3 tbsp tahini
1 cup chopped cucumber
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp lemon juice
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2. Roughly chop mint, garlic and pistachios in a food processor. With motor running pour in olive oil, zest and juice and process to a firm paste. Season and set aside.
3. Heat extra oil in large frypan over high heat, season lamb racks and brown in batches until sealed on all sides, allow to cool and stand racks with bones facing upwards on baking tray and brush the top of meat with Dijon then coat the meat with paste, patting down well, chill for 15 minutes to firm.
4. Roast for 15 minutes for medium and rest for 5 minutes.
5. Cous cous: place stock and chickpeas into a pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Place cous cous and peas in a large dish, then pour stock over. Stir, cover with cling wrap and set aside for
5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Add pine nuts, preserved lemon skin and parsley, drizzle with olive oil and season.
6. For tahini cucumber sauce: place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined and season to taste.
7. Cut each rack of 4 into 2 and serve with couscous and tahini sauce.
Wine Match: Leogate Brokenback Hunter Valley Shiraz 2015