Mustard Rack of Lamb with Roma Tomatoes and Asparagus

[Lucy]

Mustard Rack of Lamb with Tomatoes and Asparagus
Served with minted ricotta cream.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 frenched racks of lamb or 8 lamb chops
4 roma tomatoes, sliced lengthways
2 bunches thin asparagus, trimmed
balsamic vinegar, to drizzle
olive oil, to drizzle

Mustard marinade:

1 tblsp olive oil
1 tblsp French mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp dried mint flakes
Small sprig of rosemary

Minted ricotta cream:

150 g ricotta
1/3 cup thickened cream
1/3 cup finely fresh chopped mint

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 160C. Place the halved tomatoes on a large baking tray lined with non-stick paper, drizzle with the balsamic and olive oil, and season with cracked black pepper. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
2.Add the asparagus to the baking tray and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for a further 15 minutes or until the tomatoes and asparagus are soft. Increase oven temperature to 200C.
3.In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Pat the lamb racks dry with paper towels. Smear each rack with the mustard mixture and place racks in a baking dish. Roast for 20 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
4.Remove from the oven, cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes. Cut racks into pairs.
5.Minted ricotta cream - Beat together the ricotta and cream until smooth. Add the mint and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6.To serve, place 2 pairs of lamb chops on warm serving plates and drizzle with any pan juices. Arrange the tomatoes and asparagus on the side and top with the minted ricotta cream.