Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Rack of Lamb - Rosemary, Garlic and Mint Crusted Lamb

For more information, including the potatoes recipe and the complete article, click here!

This one is very simple - you're simply going to sear off the lamb in a hot skillet, and finish in the oven. For the entire dish you'll need:
For the Lamb:
  • 2 racks of lamb, Frenched
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, stripped
  • 2 sprigs fresh mint
  • 4 Tbl olive oil, divided
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup chicken broth, or veal stock if you're fabulously lucky
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 Tbl red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbl butter
  1. Combine all ingredients except the lamb in the bowl of a food processor and process for a few seconds, until the herbs are finely chopped.
  2. Place the racks in a shallow baking or casserole dish. Pour rosemary/mint mixture over racks, and thoroughly rub it in. Cover racks, and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 350F.
  4. In a large skillet with an ovenproof handle over medium heat, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the racks of lamb on both sides. Place the 'pretty' or rounded side down first. This only takes a few minutes per side, but you do want a nice golden exterior. Once flipped, insert a meat thermometer into the middle of one rack. Insert the probe on the 'bottom' or concave side, so that the pretty side will not be marked. If you're going to slice the racks into chops before serving, don't worry about where you put it - it won't show or matter.
  5. Once both sides have turned golden, put the skillet into the preheated oven. You'll roast for about 20-25 minutes, but the important number is an internal temperature of 145F for medium rare. Pull the lamb at 145F, tent with foil, and allow the racks to rest, untouched for ten minutes. You'll see an additional climb of ten degrees in temperature as it rests - that's perfect.
  6. While the lamb is resting, pour off all but a tablespoon or two of the oil in the pan. Make sure you hang on to the juices - just not the grease. Return the pan to the stove top, and adjust heat to medium high.
  7. Deglaze the pan with the wine, or if you wish to skip the wine, use a little extra chicken broth. Once it comes to a boil, stir well, scraping all the brown bits off the bottom. Add the remainder of the chicken or veal stock and the vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and allow the mixture to simmer until reduced by half. The sauce should be thickening nicely.
  8. Once reduced, remove from heat. Stir in the butter.
  9. To serve, slice the lamb into individual chops, and drizzle with the buttered jus.
 

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