Roasted Rack of Lamb
Most mamas get a day off from cooking on Mother’s Day. Not this one.
I was in the kitchen, as usual. Wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else. OK…that’s a lie. A warm, sunny beach somewhere sounds pretty good.
One of my favorite special-occasion dishes is Roasted Rack of Lamb. I was always intimidated about preparing it because:
(a) It is crazy expensive even if you buy it from Sam’s Club or Costco.
(b) It isn’t a lot of food, so it definitely wouldn’t feed my brood.
(c) I was scared to cook it.
But I found out in culinary school just how incredibly easy it is to prepare, so scratch that off the list:
(c) I was scared to cook it.
I also learned that while Rack of Lamb is the star of the show, you serve it with a lot of other things, like rich and creamy potato dishes, so no one leaves the table hungry. Everyone gets a proper serving size (3 oz. of meat), which turns out to be 3 or 4 ribs. So scratch that off, too:
(b) It wasn’t a lot of food, so it definitely wouldn’t feed my brood.
Now, if I could figure only out a way to eliminate (a)…
Roast Rack of Lamb
prep: 15 minutes
cook: 15 minutes
serves: 2
you’ll need…
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pushed through a garlic press
2 tsp. ground rosemary
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dry thyme
¼ tsp. salt
1 frenched rack of lamb (about 1 lb.)
let’s get to it…
Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove lamb from refrigerator.
Mix olive oil, garlic, rosemary, black pepper and salt together in a small bowl.
Rub mixture all over lamb meat, being careful not to rub on the bones. Place lamb on a rack in a foil-lined roasting pan.
Cook for 13 to 15 minutes per pound or until 135°F on an instant read thermometer for medium rare. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before separating the ribs. Slice rack in half or slice each chop individually off of the rack.
cooking know how…
• A “frenched” rack of lamb is a rack that has been split with the back bones removed. The ends of the bones have been completely cleaned of meat and fat.
• For the freshest flavor, cook lamb on the day you buy it.
Basil Dipping Sauce for Lamb prep: 10 minutes you’ll need… let’s get to it… Nutrients per serving: Calories 30, Total Fat 3 g, Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 5 mg, Carbohydrates 0 g, Fiber 0 g, Protein 0 g extra special…
serves: 16
⅓ cup fresh basil, firmly packed into measuring cup
¼ cup fresh parsley, firmly packed into measuring cup
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice.
1 clove garlic
Pinch of salt
Place basil, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and pinch of salt in a blender container.
Blend on high for 30 seconds; scrape sides of container and push ingredients down. Blend on high 30 seconds more or until smooth. If sauce is still too thick, or doesn’t move in blender, add a little water, a teaspoon at a time, until it is at the desired consistency. Unused sauce can be refrigerated and stored for up to 1 week.
• Add ½ tsp. cumin or red pepper flakes before blending.
cooking know how…
• This sauce is great on other meat as well as vegetables!
