Glaze
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 sprig rosemary

Fennel
1 plump bulb fennel
½ cup stock

Pumpkin
2 cups chopped pumpkin
½ teaspoon nutmeg
pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 175ºC / 350º F.

To make glaze, pour all ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens to a thin sauce. Remove rosemary, cover and keep warm on a low heat.

Brush lamb with oil and season to taste with pepper. Heat a non-stick grill pan or fry pan and sear the lamb on all sides until browned. Transfer to an oven dish, cover with foil and bake 10-15 minutes or until cooked as desired. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

While lamb is cooking, remove the outer leaves of the fennel and slice the bulb. Bring the stock to the boil and braise the fennel for 5-10 minutes, or until just starting to soften but still crisp. Keep warm.

Steam or microwave pumpkin, mash and season with nutmeg and pepper. Add a little of the fennel stock if you’d like it softer.

Slice the lamb and serve over the pumpkin and fennel. Drizzle with the glaze.

Serves 4

recipe compliments of d'Arenberg winery