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Rack of lamb in adobo with trinxat

Rack of lamb in adobo with trinxat

Cordero lechal en adobo con trinxat

Catalans are great fans of lamb. The trinxat – the Catalan version of bubble and squeak – is synonymous with a feast you’ve put a lot of time and effort into. The spicy adobo marinade not only enhances the flavour of the lamb, but also preserves it. You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Rack of lamb in adobo with trinxat

Serves 6
Cooking Time Prep time 25 mins, cook 30 mins (plus marinating, resting)
2   lamb racks (about 600gm each, with 8 cutlets), French trimmed
6   garlic cloves
15 gm   ground cumin
120 ml   extra-virgin olive oil
15 gm   sweet paprika
15 gm   ground dried thyme
15 gm   black peppercorns, cracked
4   fresh bay leaves, torn
Trinxat
200 gm   waxy potatoes (about 2), such as pink eye or desiree
400 gm   Savoy cabbage (about ¼), coarsely chopped
50 ml   olive oil
50 gm   pancetta, thinly sliced
1   black pudding, skin removed, crumbled (see note)
20 gm   large black olives, such as manzanilla, pitted


1 Place lamb in a shallow non-reactive dish. Pound garlic, cumin and 5gm fine salt with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste. Add 100ml olive oil and remaining ingredients, then brush over lamb racks, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours to marinate.
2 Preheat oven to 200C. Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear lamb until brown (1-2 minutes each side), then transfer to a roasting tray and roast until medium rare (10-15 minutes). Remove from oven, cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes.
3 Meanwhile, for trinxat, place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, bring to the boil over high heat and cook until tender (8-10 minutes). Drain well, cool, thickly slice. In a separate saucepan, blanch cabbage in boiling salted water until just tender (1-2 minutes). Drain well and set aside. In a separate saucepan heat oil over low heat, add pancetta and stir until beginning to colour (2-3 minutes). Add potato and cabbage, cook until golden (6-8 minutes). Add black pudding, stir to combine, add olives, season to taste, serve with lamb.

Note Black pudding, or morcilla, is available from select delicatessens.

RECIPE Javier Codina PHOTOGRAPHY Ben Dearnley STYLING Lisa Featherby and Vanessa Austin

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