TT Thomas TownsendChef · Melbourne

Lamb Rump with Celeriac Purée, Cime di Rapa and Gremolata

Pink, fat-crisp lamb rump with silky celeriac purée, garlicky cime di rapa and a loose herb gremolata. A restaurant main that’s easy at home.

By , head chef · Updated

Prep
25 min
Cook
40 min
Total
1 hr 5 min
Serves
4
Level
Medium
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Pink sliced lamb rump with celeriac purée, braised cime di rapa and green gremolata oil on a blue plate

Lamb rump is one of the best-value cuts for a dinner party: lean, tender, full of flavour and with a cap of fat that crisps beautifully. Render it slowly and it bastes the meat as it cooks.

Celeriac purée gives sweetness, cime di rapa a little bitterness, and the gremolata brings acid and freshness.

Ingredients

Serves 4

Lamb

Celeriac purée

Cime di rapa

Gremolata

Method

Purée and gremolata

  1. Simmer the celeriac in the milk and water with a pinch of salt for 20–25 minutes until very soft. Drain, keeping the liquid.
  2. Blend the celeriac with the butter and enough cooking liquid to make a silky purée. Season and keep warm.
  3. Mix all the gremolata ingredients and season. It should be loose and oily.

Lamb

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Score the fat in a fine crosshatch, then season well.
  2. Place the rumps fat-side down in a cold ovenproof pan, turn the heat to medium and render for 8–10 minutes until the fat is crisp and golden.
  3. Sear the other sides briefly, then roast for 8–10 minutes for medium-rare (55°C in the centre).
  4. Add the butter, rosemary and garlic to the pan, baste, then rest the lamb for 10 minutes.

Greens and plating

  1. Blanch the cime di rapa for 1 minute, then sauté in the oil with the garlic and chilli for 2 minutes. Season with lemon and salt.
  2. Spoon purée onto warm plates, add the greens, slice the lamb against the grain and lay it alongside. Spoon over the gremolata.

Chef’s notes

  • Resting is non-negotiable. Ten minutes lets the juices settle so they stay in the meat, not on the board.
  • The celeriac purée can be made a day ahead and reheated with a splash of milk.

Questions about this recipe

How long do you cook lamb rump?

Render the fat side for 8–10 minutes on the stovetop, then roast at 200°C for about 8–10 minutes, to 55°C in the centre for medium-rare, and rest for 10 minutes.

What is cime di rapa?

Cime di rapa, also called broccoli rabe or rapini, is a slightly bitter Italian green in the brassica family. Broccolini is a good substitute.

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