HERBED SPRING LAMB RACKS

Lamb racks are a quick cook on hot oven, destined to become juicy cutlets.  Serve with fresh greens, like asparagus, and coat it all in a tangy herb dressing made with a sure flavour combo of mint, parsley and coriander.  If time is on your side, marinate the racks a few hours or overnight.  If not, give them at least an hour bathing in the herby mix before roasting.

serves 3 to 4

2  x 350g lamb racks (5 cutlets in each rack)

⅓ bunch mint leaves

⅓ bunch coriander leaves

⅓ bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 green garlic, bulb and green stem chopped

½ tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed

100ml extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan forced).

Finely chop the herbs and garlic.  Add coriander seeds.  Alternatively, blend ingredients in a food processor until roughly chopped.  Place 2 tablespoons of the herb mixture in a medium bowl with 50ml of the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.   Stir to combine.  Add the lamb racks and rub the meat well to coat with the herb marinade. Cover and set aside for an hour at room temperature (or refrigerate overnight and remove at least 30 minutes before cooking). 

Heat a stove and oven proof fry pan over a medium-high heat.  Place lamb rack fat side down and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn rack over with fat side facing upwards.  Transfer pan to the oven.  Roast for 15 minutes for rare-medium.  Remove from oven and cover racks with foil.  Leave to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dressing.  Stir the red wine vinegar into remaining herb mixture.  Blanch green vegetables, if using and drain.  Toss the vegetables in some of the herb dressing to coat well.

Serve lamb racks with herb dressing spooned over alongside greens.

©Fiona Hammond September 2019