Palmabella's Passions

I made Brad an early Anniversary dinner on Friday night. We both love rack of lamb, and I have cooked many over the years. This was the BEST I ever made, and the recipe came from September's Bon Appetit. It is Gordon Ramsey's (Hell's Kitchen's screamer) Cheese and Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb. His recipe is for three racks, so I will post the amounts I used for one:

3/4 c. fresh breadcrumbs made from sourdough bread
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 T. chopped fresh thyme
2 T. chopped fresh mint (I used 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary instead because I like it!)

One 1 3/4 to 2 lb. rack of lamb with most of the fat trimmed off
1-2 T. prepared English mustard (I used Dijohn)

Toss first 5 ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped and mixed together. (I added sea salt and freshly ground pepper.) Toss with 1/2 T. olive oil.

Preheat oven to 425.

Score lamb: Using a sharp knife, cut diagonal cuts on fat side of lamb rack, spacing about an inch apart. Make cuts in opposite direction, forming a diamond pattern. Heat 1 T. of olice oil in skillet, over high heat. Salt and pepper lamb, and place, scored meat side down into oil. Cook until golden (about 5 minutes). Let cool until you can safely touch meat.

Rub mustard over meat, and on sides. Coat with crumb-herb mixture, pressing to adhere. Place in a foil-lined baking pan, and cook at 425 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes for medium-rare, or until meat thermometer registers 135 for medium-rare. (Can be done up to 6 hrs. ahead and chilled.) Let cooked roast stand 5 minutes, then cut into chops and serve.

We had ours with a dab of mint pesto, smashed red potatoes, and steamed artichokes with garlic aioli.