Rack of lamb with ratatouille

Ingredients

For the ratatouille
4 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 red peppers, deseeded and chopped
3 yellow peppers, deseeded and chopped
1 aubergine, cut into cubes
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
pinch of sugar (optional)
handful of fresh basil leaves, shredded
For the lamb
1-2 tsp olive oil, for frying
1 rosemary sprig
2 thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, crushed
knob of butter
2 racks (best end of neck) of lamb, trimmed and cut into 4 portions

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. For the ratatouille, heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion over a medium heat for a few minutes, without colouring them.
3. Add the red and yellow peppers and continue to cook for about 5-6 minutes, so that they soften without colouring. Add the aubergine and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes.
4. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and season the mixture to taste, adding a little sugar to sweeten if necessary.
5. Continue cooking the ratatouille over a medium heat for about 30 minutes so that the tomatoes reduce and you have a lovely thick ragoût.
6. Meanwhile, for the lamb, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the rosemary, thyme and garlic, followed by the butter, and cook over a medium heat until the butter is foaming and golden-brown.
7. Cover the lamb bones with foil. Put the racks in the frying pan and sear the meat in the flavoured oil for 1-2 minutes on each side, basting with the juices.
8. If the frying pan is ovenproof, transfer it to the hot oven. Otherwise put the lamb in a roasting tin and roast for approximately 5-6 minutes.
9. Remove the lamb from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes, leaving the oven on.
10. Once the meat has rested, reheat it in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Stir the shredded basil into the ratatouille and serve with the lamb.