Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb
This delicious recipe is fancy enough to serve to company, but quick enough to make on a weeknight. We love lamb, usually grilled, but in the colder months when no one wants to go outside, this is the perfect dish. Serve it alongside creamy mashed potatoes and the veggie of your choice. The breadcrumbs give the chops a wonderful crunchy texture.
Tips:
The mustard is used as a glue to hold the breadcrumbs in place. You really can’t taste it. Alternatively you can use mayonnaise as your glue.
Frenched refers to removing the fat in between the ribs. A butcher can do this, or you can by scraping your chef knife against each rib.
New Zealand lamb is superior to domestic lamb, try to get that.
Homemade breadcrumbs can be used in place of the panko.
Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb
Serves 3-4
PREP 15 minutes
COOK 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 rack of lamb, about 8 chops frenched
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
CRUST
1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in the middle of the oven.
In a small bowl mix together all the crust ingredients. You want the mixture to resemble wet sand, so add more oil if you need to. Set aside.
Salt and pepper the lamb all over.
Heat a large skillet over high heat until hot. Add olive oil and place the rack of ribs, fat side down, in the pan. Sear the lamb until there is a brown crust on the meat, about 5 minutes. Flip and sear the other side.
Remove the lamb from the skillet and spread the dijon mustard all over the fat side of the lamb.
Using your hands, coat the fat side of the lamb with the breadcrumbs, gently pressing them onto the dijon. Some breadcrumbs will fall off so really pack it on.
Place the lamb back into the skillet, breadcrumb side up and roast for about 25 minutes for medium-rare. The meat will measure 130 degrees on a thermometer.
Allow the lamb to rest for 10 minutes before you cut into it.