What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen: Rack of Lamb for Two

In for Kelli Kelly this week, Weeknight Gourmet, Erik Jimenez

Over the last few years, it’s unfortunate that we have been forced to live in a world filled with countless recipes for one-pot meals. And while these one-pot meals can be simple and easy for those of us with busy lives, they often aren’t very good. If you’re like me, and your sick tired of yet another recipe for unseasoned pasta mixed with overcooked vegetables and ground beef, then I’d invite to dive deeper into what’s possible on busy Wednesday night.

Weeknight meals don’t have to be a compromise between flavor and time. Instead, with a little technique, we can bring back the weeknight meal to its former glory. This week’s recipe packs in the flavors of a tender seared rack of lamb, with fresh herbs and Dijon mustard. 

This “two-pot” rack of lamb is not only easier to prepare, but it comes together quickly in the pan and can be finished in the oven to the precise temperature. We’ll finish the lamb with an incredibly easy sauce that reduces pomegranate juice and stock, finishing with a zip of Dijon mustard and an emulsifying knob of cold butter.

One rack of lamb is a great size for two people, and this dish would go great with roasted potatoes and a simple herb salad. I’d also pair this with an affordable Pinot Noir.

Provecho amigos.

Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with a Pomegranate Dijon Reduction

Serves 2

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• One rack of lamb, about 1.5 lbs.
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, plus 1 additional tablespoon for later
• 1 heaping cup of mixed herbs (mint, parsley, thyme)
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of jarred pomegranate juice 
• ½ cup of high-quality chicken or beef stock 
• A good knob of butter (keep it cold)

Directions:

1. Pull the rack of lamb out of the fridge and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. While you’re waiting, prep the herb crust. In a food processor, combine mint, parsley, and thyme leaves with the breadcrumbs. And process until everything is finely chopped. Add in a glug of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste, and process one more time until combined. Set aside.
3. While the lamb is still resting, you can also get started on the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of pomegranate juice with ½ cup of beef stock and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat, and cover.
4. When the lamb is no longer cold, dry any moisture off the surface of the lamb with paper towels. (This is essential to getting a good initial sear on the meat.)
5. Preheat a pan over medium high, add in a touch of olive oil, and sear the lamb for about 1-2 minutes on each side until browned. Remove lamb from the pan. We don’t want to fully cook the lamb yet but just want to get all of the sides nice and flavorful.
6. Brush Dijon mustard all over the the top side of the lamb. Then cover with the herb/breadcrumb mixture and press the mixture into the lamb so it sticks.
7. Once fully coated, place the lamb back in the pan and into the pre-heated oven until the temperature reaches 130°F-135°F (or your desired level of doneness) Once done tent with foil and let rest. The lamb will continue to cook through a little as it rests, but don’t worry if you pull it out at little higher temperature by accident. Lamb has a ton of fat that tends to be more forgiving than other meats.
8. While the lamb is resting, finish the sauce. Warm the sauce back up and make sure it’s the consistency you want (if it’s too thick, you can add a tablespoon or two of water to loosen it up)
9. Once it’s hot, kill the heat. Once off the heat, whisk in an additional tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and then mix in the cold butter to emulsify the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Now that it has rested slice the lamb into chops. To serve, place several chops on each plate, gently pour the pomegranate sauce on the sides of the chops, and garnish with fresh mint leaves.