About the Recipe
Author:
Chloe, adapted from Gaby Dalkin
The highly-prized rack of lamb is often kept aside for a special occasion, and rightly so. This pistachio crust locks in moisture, helping to keep the meat tender and flavourful. It could also be adapted to make crumbed cutlets. This recipe is deceptively easy to make considering how fancy it feels to serve!
Ingredients
1 rack of lamb
1 tbsp oil for frying
1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence (or mix of any of the following you have on hand: fennel, marjoram, rosemary, tarragon, oregano and thyme)
1/3 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
2 tsp melted butter
1/2 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Preparation
Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
Season the lamb with the Herbes de Provence.
Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Sear the lamb rack until well-browned on all sides, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a foil-lined baking tray, bone-side down.
In a bowl, combine the pistachios, breadcrumbs, melted butter, olive oil, salt and pepper. The mix should be crumbly but just able to hold together.
Spread the mustard on the top (fatty) side of the rack, then pat the pistachio mixture on top.
Bake until the crust is golden and the lamb is cooked to medium-rare, about 20 to 25 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature of the meat should be 60–65°C.
Remove from the oven, tent with the foil and rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. This makes a huge difference to the tenderness of the meat – click here to find out why.