I think that lamb truly comes into its own in the summer months. Ask your butcher to French-trim the rack of lamb for you. This removes the meat and fat from the upper 5-6cm (2-2½in) of the ribs, leaving clean bones exposed at the top. I like using pistachio nuts in this recipe, but you could also try hazel nuts, walnuts or macadamias.

This lamb is great served with boiled new potatoes and summer vegetables. If you are lucky enough to be picking or buying fresh podded peas, choose ones on the small side, that are bright green and plump. If you cannot get really good fresh peas, use frozen instead.

I recently visited Country Crest in Lusk, which grows excellent potatoes and onions. It also produces excellent beef, which I have been serving in MacNean and the customer feedback is very good. And for dessert, you can’t go wrong with chocolate mousse.

Happy cooking.

Rack of lamb with pistachio crust

Serves four to six

2x8 bone racks of lamb (600-800g (1lb 5oz-1lb 12oz)

1 tsp of English mustard

40g (1½oz) of butter

50g (2oz) of shelled pistachio nuts

2 tsp of fresh soft thyme leaves

2 tbsp of snipped fresh chives

2 tbsp of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

50g (2oz) of fresh white breadcrumbs

Finely grated rind of ½ a lemon

1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark six). To make the pistachio crust, melt the butter in a small pan, or in the microwave. Place it in a food processor with the pistachio nuts and herbs, and blitz until bright green. Add the breadcrumbs, lemon rind, garlic and seasoning, and blend again for just a few seconds until all the ingredients are well combined.

2 Place the racks of lamb on a chopping board and, using a pastry brush, spread the mustard thickly over the fat side of each rack. Cover with the pistachio crust, using your hands to mould it over the lamb. Arrange the lamb, coated side up, on a baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes (or up to two hours) so the crust can set.

3 Place the lamb in a small roasting tin and roast for 20-25 minutes, or a little longer if you don’t like your lamb too pink. Remove the meat from the oven and set it aside in a warm place to rest for 10-15 minutes, then carve into chops and arrange on warmed plates with the boiled new potatoes and vegetables.

Easy summer vegetables

Serves four

3 tbsp of Donegal rapeseed oil

4 garlic cloves, sliced

6 spring onions, chopped

2 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only, chopped

300g (10oz) jar of baby artichoke hearts preserved in oil, drained and halved

350g (12oz) of fresh or frozen peas

1 lemon

Knob of butter

Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat the oil in a large pan, add the garlic and spring onions, then cook over a medium heat for five minutes until the spring onions have softened, but not coloured. Add the thyme with the artichokes and peas, stirring to combine.

2 Finely grate the rind from the lemon and reserve, then cut the lemon in half and add a squeeze of the juice to the pan. Cook for five minutes, until the peas are completely tender. Stir in the reserved lemon rind with the butter and parsley, and season to taste. Tip into a warmed bowl to serve.

chocolate mousse

Serves four

200g (7oz) of dark chocolate in pieces

250g (9oz) of mascarpone cheese

450g (1lb) of strawberries, quartered

2 tbsp of sifted icing sugar

2 tbsp of Kirsch

Halved small strawberries, to decorate

1 Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and leave for three to four minutes until almost melted. Remove from the heat and leave to melt completely. Stir until smooth and leave it to cool a little.

2 Place the mascarpone cheese in a bowl and quickly fold in the melted chocolate, whisking continuously until thickened – this will give the mousse its shape.

3 Place the strawberries in a pan with the icing sugar and Kirsch and heat for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and leave it to cool. Spoon a little into the bottom of serving glasses and add a layer of the chocolate mousse cream. Repeat the layers until the glasses are full. Decorate with fresh strawberries.