Merry Christmas! Today we had my sister, Lenore, and her husband, Ralph, over
for dinner.
I had to remove the cap meat and the sinew from the rack for the Jamie Oliver recipe.
If I do say so myself, I was very impressed with the meal!
We kicked things off with drinks and kept the appetizers easy so we could focus on the main event. I served a spread of Goldfish crackers (a nostalgic favorite!), Salami, and Cheese.
For the first course, Lenore brought her famous Cupalets. They are always a crowd-pleaser and the perfect way to lead into the main course.
The Main Event: The Switch to Lamb
Usually, we lean toward beef for Christmas, but the idea of something different started when I saw the meat specials at Fresh Market. I decided to go with Rack of Lamb. I think I’ll make this a permanent Christmas tradition from now on.
I followed a recipe from a Jamie Oliver video that seemed straightforward and delicious. His recipe suggested one rack per person, so I bought two racks for the four of us.
Then I coated one rack in the Dijon Mustard, parsley, and pistachio crust.
The other version: I coated the second rack with just olive oil and fresh herbs.
Add chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, and 1 tbsp olive oil and butter into a small bowl and stir. The herb-coated recipe was from Dude that Cookz.
In hindsight, two racks were very generous! One rack probably would have been plenty for four people, but having leftovers isn't the worst problem to have.
The Verdict? It’s a toss-up! Both were fantastic. The pistachio crust adds a lovely crunch and festive green color, but the herb-crusted rack really lets the lamb's flavor shine through. You truly can't go wrong either way.
Here is the link for the Jamie Oliver Rack of Lamb video.
Link to Jamie Oliver's Rack of Lamb Recipe.
The herb-coated recipe was from Dude that Cookz.
Ingredients-
1 rack of lamb1 tsp garlic powder1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp butter
Method-
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Season the entire rack of lamb evenly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Evenly coat the lamb rack with the marinade on both sides.
Heat an oven-friendly skillet or cast iron to medium heat.
Once hot, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and butter to the skillet.
Place the rack of lamb with the fat side down into the skillet.
Sear for 5 minutes. While holding the bones, rock the meat slowly back and forth to brown the top and back of the rack.
Bake the rack of lamb at 400 degrees (I roasted mine at 350 degrees because I was also following the Jamie Oliver recipe) for 20 to 25 minutes*. See notes for cooking time for the desired doneness.
Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes and serve by cutting the chops in between the bones.
* Notes: Depending on how you like your meat cooked: For medium-rare, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees; for medium, the center should read 150 degrees; for well done, the center should read at least 160 degrees.
Side dishes, Vegetable Bundles, and Potato Romanoff.
