Rack Of Lamb With Mint Gremolata Food

RACK OF LAMB WITH HERB CRUST AND MINT-BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the lamb with herb crust: Place the parsley, olive oil, mustard, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest and juice and a generous amount of salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until the mixture becomes a paste. Spread the mixture all over the lamb (try to avoid the bones and get it all on the meat).
• Place the lamb on a rimmed baking sheet bone-side up, and roast until an internal thermometer reaches 130 degrees F for medium rare, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.
• For the mint-basil pesto: While the meat is roasting and resting, place the mint, basil, parsley, lemon juice, honey, garlic and some salt and pepper in a clean food processor bowl. Puree to a paste; scrape down the sides of the food processor once and process again. Transfer to a serving bowl with a small spoon to serve.
• Slice the racks of lamb into either single or double chops. Serve with the pesto passed on the side.

ROAST RACK OF LAMB WITH MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• To make lamb:
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard on each side of each lamb rack. Mix breadcrumbs and mint in medium bowl. Press breadcrumb mixture onto lamb, coating completely.
• Arrange lamb, meat side up, on large baking sheet with rim. Roast lamb 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast until thermometer inserted into lamb registers 130°F. for medium-rare, about 20 minutes longer.
• Transfer lamb to work surface. Tent with foil; let stand 5 minutes. Cut lamb racks between bones into chops. Arrange chops on plates. Garnish with mint sprigs; pass Mint Sauce separately.
• To make sauce:
• Combine 1 cup mint, broth, shallots, vinegar and sugar in heavy small non-aluminum saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 2 hours.
• Strain sauce into large glass measuring cup. Place cornstarch in same saucepan. Gradually whisk in sauce. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir until sauce thickens slightly and turns translucent, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.) Stir in remaining 2 tablespoon mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 1 cup.

MINT CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Cook mint leaves in a pot of boiling water for about 10 seconds.
• Transfer mint leaves to a bowl of ice water; soak for 30 seconds, drain and squeeze dry.
• Combine blanched mint with garlic, olive oil, bread crumbs, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds until fine and crumbly.
• Transfer mint mixture to a large bowl; stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, set aside.
• Combine 1/4 cup Dijon mustard and 2 teaspoons honey in a small bowl, set aside.
• Combine extra-virgin olive oil, rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a jar with a lid. Shake vinaigrette vigorously until combined, about 30 seconds. Set vinaigrette aside.
• Slice 1/2 to 1-inch slits between each bone of the lamb racks to assure the meat roasts evenly.
• Season each rack with salt and black pepper on all sides.
• Heat vegetable oil in skillet over high heat. Brown each lamb rack for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
• Transfer lamb racks to the foil-lined baking sheet.
• Brush each rack with mustard and honey mixture. Sprinkle mint mixture over the top and sides of each rack.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned on top and medium rare in the center, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 125 to 130 degrees F (52 to 54 degrees C). Remove from oven and allow lamb to rest for 10 minutes before serving, drizzled with honey mustard vinaigrette.

RACK OF LAMB WITH GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season lamb generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil; heat until hot but not smoking. Add lamb; cook, turning once, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Pour off fat. Transfer skillet to oven; cook lamb until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 130 degrees (for medium-rare), 20 to 25 minutes. Let lamb rest 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make gremolata: Remove zest from orange using a vegetable peeler; finely chop zest (you should have 1/4 cup). Stir together zest, 1/3 cup orange juice (from zested orange), the lemon juice, parsley, and remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cut lamb into chops. Serve with the gremolata.

RACK OF LAMB WITH GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle the lamb generously with salt and pepper and rub it with the garlic cloves.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When very hot, add the racks of lamb and cook, turning, until all sides are browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a roasting pan with a rack and roast, rounded side up, for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to make the gremolata, combine the zest, garlic, parsley and salt in a small bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed.
• Remove the lamb from the oven, turn it so that the rounded side is down and press the gremolata onto the chops. Return the lamb to the oven and roast until the meat reaches the desired doneness, about 3 more minutes for medium rare. Transfer the racks to a cutting board, cool for 5 minutes and, using a sharp knife, cut the racks into individual chops. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

RACK OF LAMB WITH MINT GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Season the lamb with salt and pepper and let it rest until it reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Place in a roasting pan and roast for about 20 to 25 minutes for medium-rare.
• When the lamb has cooked for about 15 minutes, mince the mint, garlic and lemon zest until very fine, almost a paste.
• Note: Fresh mint will discolor almost immediately, so do this at the last -- about 5 minutes before you'll use it.
• Spread the mint gremolata over the rack of lamb and return to the oven for the final 5 minutes.
• Remove the rack of lamb from the oven and let it rest under a foil tent for about 10 minutes.
• Cut it into chops and serve.

RACK OF LAMB WITH MINT-BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Blend the mint, basil, nuts, cheese, lemon juice, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor until the herbs are finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually blend in 1/3 cup of oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Generously sprinkle the lamb racks with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a grill pan or heavy large skillet over high heat. Place 1 lamb rack in the skillet and cook just until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the lamb rack meat side up on a heavy large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 2 lamb racks.
• Roast the lamb in the oven until cooked to desired doneness, about 20 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer the lamb racks to a work surface. Set aside for 10 minutes. Cut the lamb between the bones into single chops. Spread the pesto over 1 cut side of each chop. Arrange the chops, pesto side up, on plates or a platter, and serve.
• Do-Ahead Tip: The pesto and lamb racks may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover the pesto and lamb separately and refrigerate. Allow extra time for the chilled lamb to roast.
• Alternately, the racks of lamb can be sliced then broiled before serving. To broil the lamb: Use 18 to 24 meaty single lamb rib chops (about 2 1/2 ounces each, from 3 racks of lamb). Preheat the broiler. Arrange the lamb chops in a single layer over 2 heavy baking sheets. Lightly brush the lamb chops with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Watching closely, broil the lamb chops 3 inches from the heat source until cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Spread the pesto over the chops. Arrange the chops pesto side up on plates or a platter, and serve.
• RECOMMENDED WINE #1: Boroli Barolo 1998
• REGION/ORIGIN: Barolo, Piedmont
• GRAPE/VARIETAL: Nebbiolo
• RECOMMENDED WINE #2: Avignonesi Vino Nobile d'Montepulciano 2001
• REGION/ORIGIN: Montepulciano, Tuscany
• GRAPE/VARIETAL: Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile - local clone of sangiovese)

MOROCCAN LAMB CHOPS WITH PRESERVED LEMON GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Rinse lamb and blot dry. Trim as much fat away from rack as possible. Slice between rib bones, all the way through, to yield eight chops per rack. Place in large container.
• Combine Ras el hanout, 2 TBSPs of garlic, minced cilantro and olive oil. You might need more olive oil in order to obtain a smooth slather. Toss lamb chops in mixture and allow to stand at room temp for an hour or so.
• Sprinkle coated lamb chops generously with salt and pepper. Grill over hot fire or broil to desired doneness, only a few minutes per side. When internal temp reaches 130 degrees F, they are medium.
• After removing from cooking source and still hot, sprinkle with lemon juice. (You might get the same result with adding the lemon juice to the marinade mixture before the lamb is cooked).
• Prepare gremolata topping on same day you are serving the lamb. Remove pulp from preserved lemons and discard, keeping the rind. Then thoroughly rinse in cold water and mince finely. Roughly chop parsley leaves. Combine preserved lemon, parsley leaves, and remaining tsp of minced garlic. Sprinkle over lamb chops before serving.
• **************************************************.
• Preserved lemon: I usually start with about 5 lbs of organic lemons, juicing enough of them to yield about a cup. Go for organic ones, otherwise they have a coating of wax on them to preserve shelf life in the supermarket. You will need a glass jar with an air-tight seal. Combine ~ a tablespoon of coriander seed with ~ a tablespoon of fennel seed. Place 1 bay leaf and 1 cinnamon stick in the bottom of glass jar. Have a small bowl of Kosher salt nearby. Slice lemons in quarters ALMOST down to stem end, but leave intact. Place coriander and fennel seed inside lemon and also fill with salt. Place cut side down into glass jar, squeezing as many into the jar as you can. As you squeeze them, some of the lemon juice is released, but not enough to fill the jar. Just continue packing in as many lemons as you can and add additional salt between layers of lemon. Top off with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Then refrigerate for a month before using. I think this is Jamie Oliver's technique, but there are many out there. He has also suggested doing this with other citrus, like limes and mandarin oranges. Meyer lemons work nicely. Some techniques suggest a layer of olive oil on top, and this works well, too. If refrigerated, they last indefinitely.

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS WITH MINT GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Preheat a cast-iron grill pan over high heat.
• Prepare the gremolata: In a small food processor, combine mint, lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil. Pulse until the mixture is roughly chopped and combined. While continuing to pulse, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. The mixture should remain somewhat coarse.
• Prepare the lamb chops: Coat both sides of the chops with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place chops on grill pan, cooking 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove the chops and serve with a dollop of gremolata.