Masterchef UK Professionals
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Lebanese Seven Spice Lamb Rack
Lebanese Seven Spice Lamb Rack with Sumac Marinated Courgettes, Garlic Labneh, Herb Salad with Za'atar, and Pomegranate Molasses Jus
{Polly}: "My second dish is inspired by my girlfriend, who is Lebanese, so I've got some beautiful Lebanese flavours coming through. So I've got seven spice lamb rack with garlic labneh, marinated courgettes. I'm doing a pomegranate molasses jus, so I'm trying to get that on as quick as possible."
{Marcus}: "Does your girlfriend know that you're cooking this dish today?"
{Polly}: "Yes, she does. She's tried it. She loves it. So I've got her authentic approval."
{Monica}: "She's using a seven spice mix to marinate her lamb rack. Polly's cooking the lamb rack on the bone, so she's got quite a bit of a layer of fat on it, which is wonderful. She's got to make sure that it's seared and rendered down nicely. And I want to taste the Lebanese seven spices running through the lamb rack."
{Marcus}: "And then we've got a molasses jus. Very careful. Pomegranate molasses. It can be very sweet."
{Monica}: "Polly's making a garlic labneh, so it's drained yogurt flavoured with garlic. It's got to have good body."
{Polly}: "For main course, I've cooked Lebanese seven spice lamb rack with sumac marinated courgettes, garlic labneh with a herb salad dressed in za'atar and a pomegranate molasses jus."
{Polly}: "It is more nerve wracking when you cook personal dishes. It's got a lot of sentimental value, so I don't want them to not like it."
{Xanthi Clay}: "The lamb looks beautiful pink, and I love how the labneh is in these little teardrops. Courgettes. Lamb is cooked how I like it. My only thing is I need more of that spicing."
{Jay Rayner}: "The lamb, for me, is perfectly cooked. I don't have a problem with the spicing. It was pretty robust on mine. I sipped this sauce, and by itself, overwhelming, but actually on the plate, I thought it softened."
{Leyla Kazim}: "The courgette is not soggy, hurrah. It's just a raw, marinated courgette, and that's delicious."
{Monica}: "I love the presentation of Polly's lamb main course."
{Marcus}: "You can taste the spice. The sauce is sweet on its own, but when it comes together, it's fabulous. I think that's knockout."
OVERALL JUDGES VERDICT: Another strong dish from Polly. The lamb was perfectly cooked and beautifully pink. The pomegranate molasses jus was intense on its own but balanced beautifully on the plate. The raw marinated courgettes were a welcome surprise. Marcus called it "knockout." Only slight note was Xanthi wanting more spice, though Jay found it robust.
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