Lamb Backstraps, Heirloom Carrots & Orange Reduction

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Lamb
4 x 150g lamb backstrap fillets
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
1-2 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Few sprigs thyme

Carrot Salad
1 bunch baby orange carrots
1 bunch baby purple carrots
1 bunch baby yellow carrots
2 tbsp toasted almonds, roughly chopped
1 bunch chervil

Burnt Orange Dressing
2L orange juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Carrot Sauce
1kg regular carrots, thinly sliced on a mandolin
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1L vegetable stock

Ensure the meat is at room temperature before cooking.

Method

Lamb backstraps

Heat oil in a frying pan until smoking, season lamb with salt and pepper. Sear lamb for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Throw in the butter, garlic and thyme at the last minute and coat the lamb in the melted butter. Remove from the heat, and place the lamb on a plate to rest for 5 minutes. 

Carrot salad
Cut off the tops and thoroughly wash baby carrots with sponge. Heat a pot of water and blanch the carrots for 3 minutes each, starting with yellow, then orange, then purple. Plunge carrots into ice water after cooking. 

Burnt orange dressing
Place orange juice in a saucepan and cook on a high heat until it reduces and starts to get dark and sticky. Remove from the heat and slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking. Season to taste. 

Carrot sauce
Cook the onion in a pot with the olive oil until translucent, then add the sliced regular carrots. Cover with vegetable stock. Cook until soft then stain off the vegetables and transfer to a blender. Blitz until smooth. Season to taste. 

To Serve
Toss the carrots in the burnt orange dressing and almonds and place on one side of the plate. Garnish carrot salad with chervil. Put a generous dollop of carrot sauce on plate, slice the lamb backstrap against the grain, dry on paper towel and place on top of the carrot sauce.