Roast Rack of Lamb served on Minted Cous Cous Salad with Peas and Fennel

I am in love with this cous cous salad.  It is light and fresh, yet the cous cous makes it filling.  The combination of the sweetish mint dressing, peas and crunchy vegetables is irresistable.  Lamb and mint are a classic combination, so I chose lamb chops to serve with the salad, but you could equally serve chicken or fish.  I also love this leftovers the next day for lunch.


1 kilo rack of lamb
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
chopped thyme or other herb
1/2 lemon

2 dl cous cous
3 dl boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

box of frozen peas (250 grams)
1 to 1 bulbs of fennel
1/4 to 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce
1 red onion
4 stalks celery
pea shoots, if available
1/2 cucumber

large handful mint
4 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
8 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

An hour or two before you are going to eat, prepare the lamb racks. Rub each rack all over with generous amounts of salt and pepper, chopped thyme and olive oil. Squeeze the lemon over the meat. Leave to marinate.

In a large bowl, pour in the cous cous.  Check the water to cous cous ratio on your packet.  It may be slightly different from that in this recipe. Pour in the oil and salt. Pour over the boiling water and stir quickly so that everything is moistened.  Cover the bowl with a pot lid or a dinner plate and let it sit for 10 minutes until all the water is absorbed.  Take of the lid and fluff up the cous cous with a fork.  If you think the cous cous is too dry, you can add a bit more boiling water. Set aside and leave it to cool to room temperature.

Pour the frozen peas into a bowl and let them thaw on the counter.

Prepare the mint dressing by putting all the ingredients into a hand mixer or food processor and whooze it up.  Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.  Set aside.

About half an hour before you want to eat, preheat the broiler to 200 C degrees.  Put the racks in a baking pan and put in the oven. Let them cook for about 30 minutes for medium (depending on the size of the rack) done lamb.  Turn on the broiler and cook for an additional minute or two to get some nice color.

While the meat is cooking, prepare all the vegetables.  Cut each fennel in half, lenghtwise and then finely slice.  Lay the lettuce on its cut side and cut it again.  Take a quarter and finely slice it. Chop the red onion finely.  Chop the cucumber into large dice.

Mix all the vegetables, including the thawed peas into the cous cous and pour over the mint dressing.  Toss until it is mixed.  Serve at room temperature with the lamb chops.