Julie Le Clerc: Seared lamb with sage and olive potatoes

Picture / Carolyn Robertson

Serves 4

650g large waxy potatoes, scrubbed
4 lamb short loins (also called backstraps) at room temperature
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup small black olives
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
3-4 Tbs vincotto

1. Cook whole potatoes in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes or until just tender. Drain and cut into large chunks.

2. Season lamb portions with salt and pepper. Heat a large frying pan, add a little oil, and brown lamb over a medium-high heat for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove to one side to rest for 10 minutes and keep warm covered with a tent of foil or a folded clean tea towel.

3. At the same time, add a little more oil to the pan and add potato chunks, garlic, olives and sage leaves. Cook for 5-10 minutes, tossing regularly until the pieces of potato are golden brown all over. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Thickly slice lamb and serve on top of potatoes, drizzled with vincotto.

* More of Julie Le Clerc's recipes are available in viva, part of your Herald print edition every Wednesday.