Buon giorno!
With Italians, Easter is all about the lamb…unless you are a Calabrisi…Then it’s all about the lamb or the goat! That’s kind of the way it was growing up. We never knew quite what the main course would be until almost the last minute. But we always knew it would be lamb or goat. The reason for all the suspense was that my father, Attilio – the “high priest of the church of all things carnivore” was in charge of procuring the meat. Good thing too – because, like his father before him, he simply knew everything about meat. Sometimes he could get a young goat – and sometimes it was the milk fed lamb. Whatever it was – we always knew it would be an event – succulent, perfectly cooked, flavored, and prepared with utter perfection by “numero uno” in our kitchen. Here, in honor of those bygone Easters, we step into the modern age with a simple Rack of Lamb – but not just any rack – a PISTACHIO AND HERB CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB. Just take a look at this recipe, and you’ll see how simple this is to prepare. Attilio would approve of this choice, as all of his favorite flavors and seasonings for lamb, his perfectly chosen herbs, are present in this dish. Buona Pasqua, Pop!
PISTACHIO AND HERB CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB
Makes: one rack (2-3 servings)
Prep: about 15 minutes
Cook: about 25-30 minutes
Ingredients
1 Lamb Rack – 1 1/3-1 1/2 lb.
1/4 C. + 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil for pesto and a little extra for drizzle
1 Large Clove Fresh Garlic cut in 3 pieces
1/4 C. Shelled Pistachios
1 Tsp. Lemon Zest
1 Tsp. Lemon Juice
1/2 C. Fresh Italian Parsley
2 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary leaves
3 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
Fresh Rosemary or Italian Parsley for garnish
Instructions
Pat dry your rack of lamb. If the rack is especially fatty, you might want to trim some off, but you DO want some fat on it to keep it moist and provide flavor.
Drizzle a little Extra Virgin on the underside of the lamb rack. Add salt and pepper to both sides of the rack.
In a blender or processor, pulse the following until a smooth paste is formed (the pesto!) – while adding the Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a stream:
pistachios, garlic, parsley, rosemary leaves, Parmigiano, lemon zest, and lemon juice
Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Do this earlier in the morning and refrigerate: Press the pesto on the fat or rounded side of the rack. This will provide the crust. Now, get on with the rest of your day! So easy!
About 1/2 hour before you are ready to roast – Take the crusted rack out of the frig early and allow it to reach room temperature.
Roast the rack of lamb at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes – Then reduce your oven heat to 400 degrees and cook until it reaches your preferred level of “doneness”. For me this requires 10-15 minutes of roasting at 400. (internal temp around 145 degrees) I like my lamb pink and juicy. For best results do not roast to well done – kind of a waste of good lamb.
This next step is important: Let the meat rest for about 15 minutes to reabsorb the juices.
Slice the rack into individual chops with a sharp knife or scissors.
Garnish with Fresh Rosemary or Parsley and drizzle with the loveliest Extra Virgin you can find!
Don’t just wait for Easter to make this fabulous PISTACHIO AND HERB CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB. Hey! Make two racks – The leftovers are to die for. Looking for a perfect wine pairing? Look no further than a beautiful Toscana for this one – medium bodied and not to heavy on the tannins.
PARLA COME MANGI!
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