Roasted Rack of Lamb
Easter weekend is upon us so I thought it might be nice to share something easy but not typical. Home traditions are certainly varied – my childhood holiday meal memories involved lamb of some sort – typically leg of lamb. Roasted rack of lamb is much less time consuming and so effortless that my wonderful husband even fixed it for me on weeknight recently … he knows it is my favorite meat. This one displays as a fanciful holiday dish but it is actually easy. The hardest part is mixing the parsley and chives evenly. Cultivated Trees’ Fused Rosemary Olive Oil is perfect for this dish, as is our Garlic Infused Olive Oil … I typically use them both!
Roasted Rack of Lamb
For those who are a fan of lamb, this is a very easy main dish for entertaining or a special weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 2 1 1/2 Lb. Rack of Lamb - each with 8 bones -well trimmed
- 3 tbsp Cultivated Tree Rosemary Fused Olive Oil or Garlic Infused Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives -Optional
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and fresh ground pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F for at least 10 minutes. Heat a large cast iron skillet, or other heavy pan to high heat.
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Pat the lamb rack dry with paper towels and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of either Rosemary Fused Olive Oil or Garlic Infused Olive Oil (or a combination of both) into the hot pan. Place one rack of lamb into the pan, meat side down and sear for about 2 minutes each side or until golden brown. Transfer the rack of lamb to a heavy baking sheet, covered with parchment paper for easier cleanup. Repeat with second rack.
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Transfer the baking sheet with both racks of browned lamb to the preheated oven and roast for 15-20 minutes; or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of one end registers 120°F for medium rare. Transfer the lamb to a platter and drizzle with the remaining Olive Oil. Let it rest for 10 minutes. It is important to allow the meat to rest - it continues to cook and the protein fibers relax and reabsorb juices as well as the olive oil into the center of the meat.
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While the meat rests, sprinkle the mixed parsley and chives evenly over a plate. When the racks have rested, spread the Dijon mustard over the meat side of the lamb racks and then press the Dijon covered side into the herbs to coat.
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Carve the lamb between bones into individual chops and place on to each of the 4 plates. Drizzle remaining juice/oil mixture from the pan and platter and serve. Roasted Asparagus and potatoes are excellent sides.
Recipe Notes
Lamb is not an everyday meat in most US households but it is readily available in most butcher sections of the grocery. Costco carries lamb year round as well.