Lamb with garlic aioli and potato fondant

For the garlic aioli, place mustard, vinegar, garlic and egg yolks in a bowl, whisk until combined. Add olive oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until thick. Whisk in lemon juice and salt to taste.

For the lamb, heat the olive oil in a small pan, add thyme sprigs and fry for about 3 seconds. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, drain on absorbent paper.

Trim excess fat from the lamb. Preheat oven to hot (220C). Heat 2 tablespoons of the thyme oil in a flameproof baking dish, add the lamb and cook until it is browned all over. Sprinkle with salt, place in a hot oven and bake for about 15-minutes or until done. Remove from the dish and keep warm for 15 minutes.

For the potato fondant, cut the potatoes into 2cm-thick slices then cut these into rounds using a 5.5cm cutter. Place butter in base of a shallow frying pan, top with potato slices in a single layer. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes. Place a round of baking paper over potatoes and simmer until they are tender and browned, about 20 minutes.

Heat another tablespoon of the oil and the butter in the baking dish, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until browned lightly. Stir in the garlic and parsley and remove from the heat.

Add the spinach leaves to a pan of boiling water; drain immediately.

Slice lamb racks in half; place on one end of the plate. Layer the spinach, half the mushrooms, Potato Fondant and remaining mushrooms at other end. Top with garlic aioli and garnish with fried thyme. Drizzle the vinegar and extra virgin olive oil around the lamb.

Not suitable to freeze. Spinach suitable to microwave.

Photographed by Alan Benson.