Herb encrusted rack of lamb

[Amfibius]

Everyone knows how to do this, right? But for those who don't, here is my version (adapted from Gordon Ramsay's recipe). The difference between this version and "normal" versions is that you use a ridiculous amount of parsley - so much parsley that the breadcrumb mix turns green. Depending on your point of view this either looks awesome or looks disgusting. You can decide I served it with a quick ratatouille which omits some of the other ingredients but goes great with this dish.

Ingredients - herb encrusted rack of lamb
- Rack of lamb, frenched (i.e ribs cleaned up and bones sticking out). 4 cutlets per person.
- 1/3 cup of herbed breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup of freshly grated parmesan (DO NOT USE the pre-grated stuff)
- 1/3 cup of chopped parsley
- 4 sprigs of rosemary, leaves only
- 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
- Dijonnaise mustard
- Salt and pepper

Ingredients - quick ratatouille
- Punnet of cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
- 5 golden squash, sliced into 5mm slices
- 5 baby courgettes, sliced into 5mm slices
- Splash of Cinzano

Method



Turn on the oven and preheat to 180C. Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, rosemary, and thyme into a blender. Add some olive oil (about 1 tbsp, but you may need more) to help bind the ingredients together. Blitz until a green breadcrumb mix is obtained.



Cut a criss-cross pattern on the lamb fat to help render it. Salt and pepper it, then fry it until the fat runs off and the lamb is nicely coloured. Do NOT wash the pan - you will use the oil for your ratatouille.



Put the lamb into the oven and cook for 15 minutes*. Remove from the oven, and baste liberally with Dijonnaise mustard. Sprinkle the green herb mix over the rack of lamb, pat it to make sure it sticks, then shake off excess. Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. In the meantime, make the ratatoille. While the ratatouille is cooking, the lamb should be finished. Remove, cut it in half in the center to check for done-ness. If it's too pink, return it to the oven.

* timing will give you a medium rare lamb. For a well done lamb, cook for 20 minutes.



Here are all the veggies cut up and ready to go:



Heat up the frying pan until smoking. Add the courgettes and squash and stir-fry. Add a splash of Cinzano to the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. When the sugar from the Cinzano starts to caramelize a little, take off the heat and add the cherry tomatoes. The remaining heat will cook the tomatoes.

Spoon some of the ratatouille into the middle of a plate with a circle mould to help:



Slice the lamb into individual cutlets and arrange on the plate. I tried to get the lamb to stand up (like they do in the restaurants) but just couldn't do it. So I just laid it around the plate And yeah I realize there are 7 cutlets here ... I was hungry

[scon]

I love lots and lots of herbs. I'm not a fan of using just a touch of flavouring. I want LOTS! The rack looks good, portion size, just right!

[DiGiTaL MoNkEY]

Yum Yum, that looks so nice thanks for the writeup, must try this on the weekend

[username_taken]

what's the trick to making the crust stay on? Usually when I crust something with herbs the crust falls apart (crumbles?) and doesn't stay on the meat when I slice it up.

[Amfibius]

Thanks for your comments everyone. Username_taken the secret the Dijonnaise mustard ... normal herb crusts aren't stuck on, they are just baked to roughly hold the shape they are moulded to. You also need a VERY SHARP knife, so you slice through the meat without too much pressing. I go through it with a few quick back and forth movements.

[nerd1]

mate, that looks awsome will have to see about trying this on the weekend.

you should move up here and open a restaurant!!! LOL

[afrokiller]

The herbs look really nice. It looks delicious! nice and tender lamb droooool

[twinhardballers]

Just tried this recipe tonight, and my god it's awesome, i completely forgot to put the Dijon on before the crust, but using it as a dipping sauce worked just as well, also I should remember to buy a food processor for this, as cutting away at the herbs for like 20 minutes was not that fun

[platinum]

Very nice, and great pics! BTW, good to see you used squashes too, under-rated veggie

Here's the one I made a few months ago:

[Wako]

Looks damn good.

I will have to try this!

[JohnnoD]

A tad undercooked for my liking, but hey, personal choice

[Bearz]

When you say Cinzano, do you mean the Extra Dry or the Bianco? Judging by the color I assume it's not the rosso.

[Amfibius]

Bearz I just use the Bianco. It's very useful for deglazing pans ... just don't use too much.

[Asgaldh]

Mmmm... looks delicious... I havent had lamb for a long time... *drool*

[ener]

just cooked this for dinner, was really nice, couldn't finish the whole rack tho
made my ratta with small different coloured capsicum, cherry tomato's, squash and a bit of cucumber.