Easter recipe: herb-crusted rack

Herb crusted rack of lamb

With Isle of Wight Meat Co.

Sunshine-filled days are almost upon us, ushering in thoughts of long and leisurely Easter lunches. When it comes to the perfect Easter dish, it’s impossible to imagine a more quintessentially springlike spread than a herb-crusted rack of lamb

Tender, delicate, and requiring a shorter cooking time than the more robust roasting joints, the rack is considered one of the finest lamb cuts. Adding a herb crust is a great way to impart some vibrant spring colours as well as adding extra texture. Though any combination will work well (particularly when cut fresh from the garden or windowsill), we’ve gone for a simple yet sublime combination of parsley, thyme and rosemary to complement the lamb’s delicate flavour.

Ingredients

2 racks of lamb (500g each) 2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard 75g dry breadcrumbs Small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped 2 sprigs thyme, finely chopped 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, finely diced 25g Parmesan Olive oil Salt and pepper Method

Combine the breadcrumbs, herbs, garlic, parmesan and a little olive oil. Set aside.

Heat a large pan and sear the racks on all sides. Coat the fat side of the racks with mustard and then rock back and forth in the breadcrumb-herb mixture until you have a nice thick coating. Turn the racks over and fill any gaps with any excess mixture. Transfer to the oven (180°C) for 10-14 minutes* or until the middle hits 55°C for perfect pink lamb. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes. Then very carefully and gently cut between the bones into individual cutlets.

Serve with some pea and mint mash, spring vegetables and crisp roast potatoes. *Oven temperatures and size of racks vary so adjust accordingly. We recommend using a temperature probe such as the Meater to achieve very accurate, consistent cooking.