I was first introduced to a rack of lamb through a home delivered mixed box of organic local lamb. Prior to this, I would never have picked up such an intimidating looking cut of meat. Once the rack was sitting out it was up to me to work out how to cook it! Google is my friend. I often look at the fresh ingredients I have at hand then google them to see which recipes come up in my search.
I always have a variety of cheeses in my fridge, and these days homemade cheeses in my cheese cave as well. Hard cheeses that are traditionally used grated for cooking are my favourites. So besides lamb, parmesan was the next choice to start this recipe. Rosemary grows wherever I live (I know, because I always plant and nurture it) and I have been growing organic garlic for a few years now, always keeping 'seed' bulbs to plant again the following year. This year I had the good fortune of a honey harvest as well. Honey mixed with quality grainy mustard forms the 'glue' to hold the crust onto the lamb, and offers a special flavour that complements the savoury depth of the lamb. Farm laid fresh eggs and homemade organic bread are the other ingredients I use. I have tried commercial breadcrumbs when I have had nothing else, and the results were unimpressive so I stick to 2-3 day old bread and dice it up or shred it to resemble a chunky style of breadcrumbs. I don't use any electric kitchen aids, so most food I make is a little more provincial than the recipe calls for.
I choose a lamb rack that has the number of cutlets that fits my family/guests perfectly with one or two left over. Sometimes this will equate to two lamb racks. My family prefer our lamb cooked medium to well, but adults I cook for usually like it medium rare to medium. I also find that it has to be the most under-photographed recipe I cook because we are all focused on the sharing and devouring part. Hope the same is true for your family.
PROVINCIAL PARMESAN, ROSEMARY, GARLIC CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB RECIPE
Preparation Time - 15 min
Cooking Time - 30 to 55 min
Ingredients
1 rack of lamb
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Honey Mustard Sauce
2 tablespoons of honey
1 tablespoon of grainy mustard
Crust
2 slices of 2 day old bread, diced or pulled apart
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, chopped
30-50 grams of parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg
Ground salt and pepper
Method
1. Preheat Oven to 160 degrees celcius
2. Heat oil in a heavy based saucepan over a low heat.
3. Place the rack of lamb, topside down and brown for a couple of minutes. Turn it over and allow to cool
Honey Mustard Sauce
4. In a small bowl, stir honey and mustard together.
Crust
5. Dice or pull apart bread and place in a bowl.
6. Add rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper, and egg.
7. Grate parmesan into the mixture.
8. Combine with hands until the egg is soaked up by the bread mixture.
Putting it altogether
9. Place rack of lamb in an oven proof dish and spoon Honey Mustard Sauce over it.
10. Using your hands, press the mixture onto the meat on top of the honey mustard sauce.
11. Place in oven and cook for 30 min - medium rare, 40 min - medium, and 45 to 55 min - medium well done.
12. Remove the lamb from the oven and let rest for 5 min. Slice up into cutlets and serve.
It is such a simple recipe yet a crowd pleaser!
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