Barbecued rack of mutton with broad beans, peas and lovage

Name: Barbecued rack of mutton with broad beans, peas and lovage
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 4 as a lighter lunch or 2 as a hearty meal
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 1 rack of mutton (700-800g), trimmed; 2 garlic cloves, grated; Grated zest 1 lemon; 1 tbsp fennel seeds, crushed; Good pinch chilli flakes; 2 tbsp chopped fresh lovage (or fresh parsley if you can’t find lovage); 4 tbsp olive oil; 250g broad beans (podded weight); 250g fresh peas (or use frozen); You’ll also need…; Digital probe thermometer; Barbecue (charcoal or gas)

Portion size: Serves 4 as a lighter lunch or 2 as a hearty meal
Hands-on time 45 min, barbecue time
Difficulty: easy

Recipe by: Gill Meller

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“There are few things more deeply savoury, satisfying and delicious than salty, smoky lamb cooked over a crackling wood fire. Except, perhaps, salty, smoky mutton cooked over a crackling wood fire.” – Gill Meller

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Ingredients

1 rack of mutton (700-800g), trimmed
2 garlic cloves, grated
Grated zest 1 lemon
1 tbsp fennel seeds, crushed
Good pinch chilli flakes
2 tbsp chopped fresh lovage (or fresh parsley if you can’t find lovage)
4 tbsp olive oil
250g broad beans (podded weight)
250g fresh peas (or use frozen)

You’ll also need…

Digital probe thermometer
Barbecue (charcoal or gas)

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Method

Put the rack of mutton on a work surface, fat-side up. Use the tip of a sharp knife to score the fat, almost down to the meat, in a crisscross pattern.
Combine the garlic, lemon zest, fennel seeds, chilli flakes, lovage or parsley, the olive oil and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub half of this herby marinade all over the mutton, making sure it gets into all the nooks and crannies. Cover and set aside to marinate for a few hours if you can. Reserve the remaining marinade.
If cooking on a charcoal barbecue light it an hour before you plan to cook the mutton.
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Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the broad beans, cook for a minute or so, then add the peas and simmer for about 4 minutes until cooked through. Drain well.
Warm a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the reserved marinade and, when it’s sizzling, add the drained broad beans and peas along with plenty of salt and pepper. Toss everything together to coat, then remove from the heat and keep warm.
Put the mutton rack bone-side down on a medium-hot barbecue grill and cook over direct heat for 12-15 minutes. Turn the mutton rack over and cook the other side for a further 12-15 minutes, checking it regularly. If at any point the meat seems to be colouring too much or the fire flares up, remove it and allow the flames to die back a little before putting it back over the heat. When the centre of the joint reaches 55°C when tested with the thermometer, remove the mutton from the heat. Put on top of the peas and broad beans and leave to rest for 10 minutes, then carve and serve.