To start: Smoked salmon and sea kale Smoked salmon is widely available these days and very affordable, and sea kale can be ordered from a good greengrocer; it is similar to asparagus, just trim the ends off and blanch. It is in season between January and March. Once you have blanched the sea kale just toss in a little lemony olive oil, lay 3 or 4 pieces on a plate then drape as little or as much smoked salmon as you like over it. Sprinkle with a little cracked pepper and some rocket leaves. Easy! Method Lamb seems, so far, to have escaped the recent price increases while the price of beef has rocketed due to the Brazilian endemic foot and mouth situation. Ask your butcher to “French trim” the lamb racks and to separate them into three bones per portion. Select whatever vegetables you prefer including potatoes. My suggestion would be carrots, courgettes, tomatoes, red onion, garlic and sweet peppers. Parboil about four new potatoes per portion. Roughly dice all of the vegetables and the potatoes then roll them in a little olive oil with a sprig of rosemary and thyme. Place the vegetables in a roasting tray. Lay the lamb racks on top of the vegetables which have been lightly seasoned. All of this preparation can be done in advance. Just before you prepare the salmon starter for your guests you can, to coin a phrase, “Slam in the lamb” with the vegetables obviously, and cook in the middle of your oven at about 180° – 200°C, gas mark 6 or 350°-400°F. This will only take about 25 – 35 minutes. You could have a sauce or gravy with this dish but why complicate things? Maybe a little homemade mint sauce. If I was going to take wine with this dish I would suggest a very cold Riesling to cut through and yet complement the salmon. Then a Pinot Noir from any region, but, Tasmanian is my current favourite. This isn’t as overpowering as some and will work well with the fattiness of the lovely lamb cutlets.