Ingredients
For the stuffing:
1 small onion, finely chopped
5 dried cherries, soaked in red wine
4 basil leaves, finely chopped
50g/2oz pancetta ham, finely chopped
2 tsp port
1 tbsp brown breadcrumbs
knob of butter
salt and pepper
For the lamb:
1 rack of lamb, French trimmed
olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
sprig of rosemary
1 glass red wine
210ml/7fl oz good lamb/beef stock
knob of butter
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/Gas 8.
2. To make the stuffing cook the onion gently in butter until tender but without browning. Add the cherries, basil and ham and cook over a high heat for 2-3 minutes stirring all the time. Pour in the port and reduce until the port has evaporated and finally add breadcrumbs and salt and pepper to taste. Cool.
3. Prepare the lamb by using a sharp knife, tunnel through the centre of the lamb, then fill the lamb with the stuffing mixture.
4. Spread the sliced onion and rosemary in a roasting tin ready for the lamb.
5. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan and sear the lamb over a high heat until well browned. (Keep pan for making the sauce).
6. Lay the rack of lamb fat side upward on top of the onion. Roast the rack for about 15 minutes.
7. While the lamb is cooking make the sauce. Using the same pan place over a medium heat and pour in the wine, stirring and scraping in all the residues from frying the meat and boil down until almost no liquid remains. Next add the stock and bring to the boil. Continue to boil until reduced by about two thirds.
8. To finish the sauce add the butter to enrich, season to taste and take off the heat.
9. Take the meat out of the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes then to serve simply cut down between the cutlets. Spoon the sauce over and around the cutlets. Serve.
