Ingredients

• 200g/7¼oz ciabatta
• roughly torn
• 40g/1½oz lemon rind
• grated
• 40g/1½oz capers
• rinsed
• 40g/1½oz anchovies
• 40g/1½oz onions
• roughly chopped
• 40g/1½oz black olives
• pitted and roughly chopped
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 bunch basil
• 2 racks of lamb
• 8 bones in each
• vegetable oil
• for frying
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 butternut squash (about 650g/1lb 7oz each)
• 2 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 2 lemons
• zest and juice only
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100g/3½oz butter
• 70g/2½oz melted and the rest chilled
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• leaves only
• 2-3 tbsp course-grained mustard
• 5 tbsp double cream
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Firstly
• make the herb crust. Preheat the oven to 120/C248F/Gas 1. Lay the ciabatta
• lemon rind
• capers
• anchovies
• onions and olives on a baking sheet
• and place them in the oven to dry out for two hours.
• Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and blend until fine breadcrumbs form (about two minutes).
• Preheat the oven to 180C/356F/Gas 4. Season the lamb and then warm a large heavy-based frying pan. Add enough oil to cover the base and seal the lamb on each side with the fat (about two minutes).
• Brush the lamb with mustard so that it is completely covered and then roll it in the herb crust. Place the meat in a shallow baking dish and bake in the oven until medium rare
• about 12 minutes
• turning halfway through.
• Remove from the oven and leave to rest.
• For the butternut squash
• heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Cut the squash in half
• scoop out the seeds
• then peel and chop the flesh into even-sized chunks. Place in a bowl and add the garlic
• lemon zest and juice
• olive oil and half the melted butter.
• Toss the ingredients together then spread out in a roasting pan. Scatter over the thyme leaves and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes
• until the squash feels tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
• Scoop the roasted squash into a food processor or blender with the remaining butter
• mustard
• cream and seasoning. Blend to a smooth purée and serve.
• To serve
• cut the lamb racks into cutlets. On each plate
• arrange a few cutlets on a bed of butternut squash mixture.