Cashew Crusted Lamb Racks with Nashi Pear Salad

Now before you all comment that this is not diet food, let me say this in my defence.  Taking into consideration what I had eaten (or should I say not eaten) yesterday I felt an little indulgence was in order - besides this rack of lamb had been sitting in my freezer for several weeks, calling out to me each time I  opened the freezer.  It constantly beckoned me with it's sweet dulcet tones.... "You know I am going to be sweet and succulent and beautiful - please eat me, eat me!!"  Who could resist it any longer??

Cashew Crusted Lamb Racks


Serves 2

2 x 3 chop each racks of lamb *
150g savoury honey cashews **
2 tbs Buderim ginger marmalade (150g) **
2 x green shallots

Preheat oven to 180C.

Place the cashews, marmalade and shallots in the food processor/TM bowl.  (Process speed 7 for 10 seconds, scrape down bowl, then another 10 seconds), or in a food processor simply process until it forms a thick paste.

Spread over the lamb.  Bake on a baking tray for 25-30 minutes for medium/rare, or until the crust is golden and the lamb is cooked to your liking. * Keeping the rack whole will result in a "pinker" piece of meat - if you like it cooked a little more I suggest you cut into serving sizes and cover each piece in the crust and cook individually.  I like my meat with a lot of pink - so this amount of cooking was perfect for me.

Nashi Pear Salad

baby spinach leaves
2 x nashi pears, sliced
fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
shaved parmesan cheese

Nashi Pears

With the left over cashew paste in the food processor bowl - add a small amount of white balsamic vinegar, and a splash of olive oil to make your salad dressing.  Process for a few seconds until combined.  Reserve.

Mix together the spinach with the mint leaves, then add the sliced nashi pear.  Top with parmesan shavings, and a small amount of dressing.



** Often I am asked for particular brands of ingredients that I use - these are the "crust" ingredients".  If you are unable to find these particular brands, substitute regular cashews, and whatever type of marmalade suits your fancy.

Serve the lamb racks with nashi pear salad and some smashed potatoes (click here for recipe).

Was it worth the sacrifice of only carrot sticks and hummos for lunch?  OMG yes!!! It was beautiful - sweet, juicy, and oh so tasty!

Now you know that after a lovely meal like that you are going to want some dessert don't you?

The beauty of owning a Thermomix is that you can whip up lovely little sweet treats in seconds - whether it be a custard, or a sorbet.  Now there is not much in a fruit sorbet so I decided a little "Blueberry Fruity Dream" was in order (I only had a small amount - just enough to satisfy that craving for sweetness).

I think it will actually take me longer to tell you about the Fruity Dream than it took to make it!!

Fruity Dream
From Everyday Cooking for Every Family Cookbook

45g raw sugar
300g frozen fruit of choice (blueberries)
1 egg white

Place sugar into TM bowl

Pulverise for 20 seconds on speed 9.

Add fruit and chop for 10 seconds on speed 8.  Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula.

Insert Butterfly and add egg white and mix for 45 seconds on speed 4, or until you have a soft consistency.

This is a lovely soft serve dessert.  Great to whip up for the kids on a hot afternoon as a treat too!  (I should know, I made a batch up for mine and a few of the neighbourhoods kids - it got the thumbs up!!!)

So Dear Readers, even though I look like I truly indulged, I still managed to loose weight this day!!!