Black Jack Lamb Rack Recipes

ROASTED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Move oven rack to the center position.
• In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil to moisten mixture. Set aside.
• Season the rack all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy oven proof skillet over high heat. Sear rack of lamb for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes. Brush rack of lamb with the mustard. Roll in the bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent charring.
• Arrange the rack bone side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb in preheated oven for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness you want. With a meat thermometer, take a reading in the center of the meat after 10 to 12 minutes and remove the meat, or let it cook longer, to your taste. Let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes, loosely covered, before carving between the ribs.

CATALONIAN FIRE ROASTED LAMB RACK

Steps:

• Prepare the marinade: Heat olive oil in a saute pan and add shallots, garlic, and the ancho chile. Cook until barely golden. Remove from heat and add scallions, cilantro leaves, lime juice and honey.
• Remove the whole "eye" from each rack, reserving the bones. Marinate for 2 hours or more, refrigerated.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a shallow roasting pan, combine all the ingredients for the romesco sauce: olive oil, the remaining 2 ancho chiles, serrano or jalapeno, red pepper, shallots, garlic, tomato, tomato juice, saffron, cumin, coriander, basil and parsley. Roast for 40 minutes or until the tomatoes start to brown.
• Remove from the oven and process in a food processor, along with the toasted almonds. Add lime juice and salt and pepper to adjust the seasoning.
• Slice apart the reserved rib bones into 7 or 8 pieces equally so that each bone has the same amount of meat.
• Return sauce to the roasting pan and add rib bones. Loosely cover with foil. Roast at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Test to see if the bone meat is tender by poking it with the tip of a sharp knife. When the meat is tender, remove the foil cover to let the meat brown slightly.
• Dry the "eyes" of each rack by scraping away the marinade. Do not discard. Add salt and pepper to the "eyes" and brown in a large saute pan.
• When the "eyes" have browned, place in a shallow roasting pan, pour over the reserved marinade, and roast in a slow oven at 325 degrees F. until cooked to medium rare. Let them rest. Slice each into 6 equal rounds. Place three rounds, overlapping, on each serving plate, and arrange 3 or 4 rib bones next to them Ladle some of the sauce around the plate. Serve immediately.

RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the salt, rosemary, and garlic until they're as finely minced as possible. Add the mustard and balsamic vinegar and process for 1 minute. Place the lamb in a roasting or sheet pan with the ribs curving down, and coat the tops with the mustard mixture. Allow to stand for 1 hour at room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Roast the lamb for exactly 20 minutes for rare or 25 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, then cut into individual ribs and serve.

RACK OF LAMB WITH GARLIC AND HERBS

Steps:

• Brown lamb:
• Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until hot, at least 2 minutes. Meanwhile, pat lamb dry and rub meat all over with salt and pepper. Add oil to hot skillet, then brown racks, in 2 batches if necessary, on all sides (not ends), about 10 minutes per batch.
• Transfer racks to a small (13- by 9-inch) roasting pan.
• Coat and roast lamb:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Stir together garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and oil. Coat meaty parts of lamb with herb mixture, pressing to help adhere. Roast 15 minutes, then cover lamb loosely with foil and roast until thermometer inserted diagonally into center of meat registers 120°F, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes. (Internal temperature will rise to 125 to 130°F for medium-rare while lamb stands.)
• Cut each rack into 4 double chops.

RACK OF LAMB WITH LENTILS & JACK-BY-THE-HEDGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the carrot, onion, celery, thyme and bay leaf, and cook over a medium heat for 10 mins to soften. Add the lentils and fry gently for 1-2 mins. Add the stock, bring to the boil and cook, uncovered, for 20-25 mins until the lentils are cooked through and most of the stock has been absorbed.
• Meanwhile, cook the lamb. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the lamb in a roasting tin, season well and roast for 15-20 mins for rare to medium, 25 mins for well done. Leave to rest for 5 mins before carving into chops.
• While the lamb is resting, make the sauce. Put the Jack-by-the-hedge in a food processor and blitz while slowly trickling in the oil until it forms a pesto consistency. Add the lemon juice to taste, then season.
• Stir the butter, mustard and any juices from the lamb into the lentils and season to taste. Divide the lentils between warmed plates, top with the chops and drizzle with the sauce.

HERB-CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.
• Combine bread crumbs, parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, mint, rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well combined, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a shallow dish and set aside.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high. Pat lamb dry with paper towels. Season with black pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add lamb to skillet and cook until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes total.
• Brush the lamb with mustard, then dip and roll into prepared bread crumb mixture to coat, pressing gently to adhere. Place lamb on the prepared rack, meat side up, with the bones pointed towards the middle of the rack.
• Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer registers 125 degrees F (52 degrees C) for medium-rare, about 20 minutes, or to desired degree of doneness. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing in between the bones. Serve immediately.