Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 large 8-rib racks of lamb (1.5 kg/3.3 lb)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ cup (65 g/2.3 oz) macadamia nuts or blanched almonds
• 1 tablespoon (15 g/0.5 oz) Dijon Mustard
• 1 tablespoon (2 g/0.07 oz) chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• ¼ cup (15 g/0.5 oz) chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon (2 g/0.07 oz) chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon (6 g/0.2 oz) lemon zest
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons (30 g/1.1 oz) ghee

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6). Remove the lamb from the fridge and let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature. Wash and pat dry the rack and season with salt and black pepper.
2. Place the macadamia nuts, mustard, rosemary, parsley, thyme, lemon zest, and garlic into a blender and pulse until smooth; or, leave a slightly crumbly texture, if you like. Season with salt and black pepper. This will form the nut-and-herb crust.
3. Heat a large ovenproof pan greased with ghee over a high heat. Add the lamb racks with the fatty large side down and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until browned. Turn the racks and cook on the other side for 30 seconds and then cook them standing up for another 30 seconds to seal the meat from all sides.
4. Transfer to a plate to cool to room temperature. Next, cover the fatty part with the nut-andherb crust and press it in using your fingers so it won’t fall off during baking.
5. Set the racks on a baking sheet with the crusted side up. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes (medium-rare) or 20 to 23 minutes (medium). Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil to rest for 10 minutes. As with steak, the meat will continue cooking from the residual heat. When done, the meat inside should be evenly cooked, pink, and juicy.
6. When ready to serve, use a sharp knife and gently slice each cutlet to prevent the crust from falling off.