Off to a luscious start with rack of lamb

Rack of lamb by beFOODled on Flickr.

The other appetizer we made with Mark was rack of lamb, which I've never eaten as a starter before. We cooked two racks and served two ribs and a salmon tartare croûte per person. It turned out so luscious and juicy! Without further ado, here's the recipe:

Rack of lamb
two racks of lamb with eight ribs each
mustard
bread crumbs
parmesan
parsley
bread crumbs
butter
salt
pepper
oil with a high smoking point, such as canola or grapeseed


Season the racks of lamb by beFOODled on Flickr.

Season the raw racks of lamb with salt and pepper.


Brown the racks of lamb by beFOODled on Flickr.

Brown the racks one at a time in hot oil in a frying pan with high sides. Mark says that you should only put meat in the pan when the oil is near its smoking point. That's when the oil starts to separate or dimple in the pan.

Brown each side of the rack. The bony side is curved and impossible to press against the bottom of the pan. If you use a high-sided pan, great, you can prop it up against the side and pour hot oil down it with a ladle. If you're using a low-sided pan, no worries, just skip that side. Cross the racks together on a plate so that the ribs interlock. Put them aside and let them rest and cool down a bit.


Apply mustard to the racks of lamb by beFOODled on Flickr.

Smear a thin layer of Dijon mustard onto the tops of the racks. This will bind the crust.


Apply mustard to the racks of lamb by beFOODled on Flickr.

In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan and parsley. Press the mixture down onto the racks. Put some pats of butter over the tops of the ribs. Put the lamb into the fridge until ready to cook.

Take the lamb out a bit before you want to cook it. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes at 425 degree F in a normal oven or 390 in a convection oven. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes under foil before cutting the ribs.