WHISKY-INFUSED BBQ LAMB

Method

1. To make the marinade, whisk together the whisky, gochujang, doenjang, mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, gochugaru and honey in a large bowl until smooth.

2. Cover and wrap each of the rib bones of the rack of lamb tightly with foil, then place the rack in a large plastic bag and pour the marinade in, covering the rack. Place the rack in a deep, heatproof dish, taking care not the immerse the bones in the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least an hour or, ideally, overnight.

3. Allow the lamb to come up to room temperature for about 30 minutes before you cook it and set your gas or charcoal grill to medium hot.

4. The potatoes take around an hour, so start on them before you take the lamb out of your fridge. Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water until submerged. Add a generous amount of salt and bring to the boil. Boil the potatoes for around 20 minutes until soft and easy to pierce with a fork, then carefully drain through a colander, shaking well over the sink to remove any excess water. Now scatter the potatoes onto a roasting tray lined with foil. Lightly press each potato with a fork to crack it open, then drizzle generously with olive oil and cook for around 20-25 minutes, tossing after 10 minutes, until golden and brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and leave in a warm place.

5. While the potatoes are cooking, make the shrimp butter. Drizzle about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet and place over a medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and garlic and sauté for 25-30 minutes, adding a pinch of salt to taste, until they’re very soft. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl, then add the lemon zest and dried shrimp and mix well. Set aside and allow to cool, before adding the herbs and mixing in the soft butter. When the potatoes are done, transfer to a bowl and add the shrimp butter, tossing to coat well.

6. To make the soy glaze, quickly whisk together the mirin, soy sauce and whisky in a large bowl. Place the onions and leeks on a baking sheet or tray lined with foil and drizzle the glaze over, tossing to coat. Reserve some of the glaze to brush on the onions later.

7. Lightly brush the grate of your grill with vegetable oil and grill the lamb for about 7-8 minutes for medium rare, brushing with more marinade and flipping over as required. Once cooked to your liking, transfer to a wire rack to rest and sprinkle with sea salt to taste.

8. While the lamb is resting, place the onions and leeks on the grill and cook until wilted and charred, flipping over as required and adding additional soy glaze. This should only take around 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to rest while you carve the lamb.

9. To serve, place the lamb in the centre of a large platter and surround it with the grilled onions, leeks and shrimp butter potatoes, scattering the fresh dill and lemon zest on top of the lamb and letting all the lovely flavours combine. Serve immediately and invite your guests to help themselves from the platter.