My mother made the best rack of lamb.
Hers is a recipe so easy to make that I call it “Monday Night Lamb.” It takes
minutes to prepare, and only 30 minutes to roast, which means you can have an
elegant dinner on the table in less than 45 minutes on any given Monday night.
There was only one problem…
Her recipe
was a combination of several, and even included some cooking instructions from
Julia Child. Actually, it was Julia’s instructions that caused the problem. (Forgive
me, Julia!). The high heat that Julia uses to sear the meat causes intense spattering, making an unholy mess of the oven and lots of greasy smoke fills the house. Markipedia is not amused.
I tried
several things to remedy this: building up the sides of the roasting pan with
foil; lowering the temperature; over-trimming the lamb; and testing different
places in the oven. I tried
everything I could think, but nothing seemed to work. In the end, we avoided
making rack of lamb for years, even though we love it.
When in
Memphis, Tennessee, recently, visiting friends Lea and Steve (I have known Lea
since junior high in 1970), I made Mom’s rack of lamb. I warned them about the
spattering and they didn’t seem to care.
They had some
red potatoes on hand, and we decide to roast them as a side dish. Then I had my
stroke of genius. (Well, maybe not genius…) I decided to minimize the number
of pans in the oven, and I roasted the lamb on top of the potatoes in the same
pan.
To my amazement,
the potatoes absorbed the fat and kept it from spattering and smoking, and they
cooked nicely with the lamb drippings. It was a win-win situation.
Skeptical
that it was a fluke, I tested it again when I got home for our friends Laura
and Arch, and it worked again.
Today, I made
it the same way, but with one more change. I first lined the pan with rosemary
branches so that some of the fat would go through the potatoes, producing a
less fatty potato, while infusing them with rosemary. A great success! Next, I may try a bed of thickly-sliced
onions under the potatoes.
I served this
with the wonderful
Pétale de Rose rosé I mentioned when I made the Persian Baked
Fish several weeks ago. It was a great combination; a Cabernet Sauvignon,
Zinfandel, or hearty red blend would also work well.
Voilà ! Problem solved; recipe evolution complete… for now.
~ David
Mom’s Rack of Lamb, Redux
8-10 ten-inch-long branches of fresh rosemary
1 1/2 pounds waxy small-to-medium potatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 racks of lamb, frenched*, each about 1 1/4 pounds
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 shallot, finely minced
6 tablespoons panko, or traditional breadcrumbs
grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 tablespoons melted butter
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Place 8-10Â rosemary branches in the bottom of a lightly oiled baking pan.
Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices – or thinner – and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Cover the rosemary branches with the potatoes. Place the potatoes in the oven for 10 minutes to begin their roasting.
While the potatoes are in the oven, wash and pat dry the racks of lamb. Score the fatty side in a diamond pattern, and top each rack with 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary.
After the potatoes have roasted for 10 minutes, place the lamb on top and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Note: the photos show only one rack, as I was making this for two people, but this recipe is for two racks.
Meanwhile, mix together the shallot, breadcrumbs, parsley, and lemon zest. When the lamb has roasted for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 400°F. Divide the breadcrumb topping between the two racks and press it lightly into the mustard coating. Drizzle with the melted butter and return to the oven. Roast for 20 minutes more.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and place lamb on a cutting board, and cover with foil. Let the meat rest while you are plating the veggies and potatoes Remove potatoes from the pan and divide among 6 plates. Slice lamb and place three ribs on each plate. Serve immediately.
Serves 6.
  * “Frenching” isn’t kissing! It is the process of trimming the end bones of fat and gristle up to the point where the saddle begins. Most racks of lamb in the U.S. is sold this way already, but you can ask the butcher to do it if it isn’t already done.
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Cheri Savory Spoon
May 21, 2016 at 1:50 pmHi David, my husband would love this. How clever to bake the lamb on top of the potatoes, such a elegant dish.
We are now in the PNW, still getting settled. Heard they had 20 inches of rain in December. Take care!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2016 at 4:28 pmThanks, Cheri – just dumb luck that it worked, but now I will do it every time! Have a good time in the NW this summer!
Sippity Sup
May 21, 2016 at 3:59 pmI hate spattered ovens. It's the main reason I don't make Thomas Keller's roast chicken as much as I'd like to. When I remodeled my kitchen I put in a range with 2 standard ovens. I knew they'd be hard to clean being under the stovetop, so I also added a small wall-mounted combination microwave/convection. I use that oven for messy jobs because it's so easy to clean. I could have saved a few bucks if I'd have known about the potato trick. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2016 at 4:29 pmOooh. I have been craving a micro-convection combo for a long time – just to have a second oven! Glad to know it is easy to clean. Someday, it will be mine… (And now I need to find Thomas Keller's chicken recipe!)
Caroline @ Pinch Me, I'm Eating!
May 21, 2016 at 5:01 pmLooks so delicious! I bet the potatoes are great too! This sounds like something I need to try for an elegant dinner at home. When you only make it for two people is all the baking time the same and everything?
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2016 at 4:30 pmCaroline – the cooking time is exactly the same whether you do one or two. I hope you and Mike like it!
John - heneedsfood
May 21, 2016 at 9:42 pmThe smell of this while cooking would have been incredible, David. I think I'd be mopping up those juices with lots of bread! Not until I chomped into that perfectly roasted lamb, of course.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2016 at 4:31 pmI actually loved the potatoes with ALL the lamb fat – they were awesome… I just know I need to be a little more careful of my fat intake. 🙂
Marcelle
May 22, 2016 at 11:34 pmDavid, I love that those potatoes helped solve the spattering problem. I tend to stay away from dishes that make big messes too. I'm bookmarking this post! When Evan gets home, I'm gonna make this for an elegant grown-up dinner for two. I wish I could have some right now, looks wonderful! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2016 at 4:32 pmI hope you and Evan like it, Marcelle! Worse than cleaning the oven after these big messes, is the smell in the house for the next several days!
Anonymous
May 23, 2016 at 2:18 pmDavid, I use small red fingerling potato and put them whole. They cook nicely, pick up the flavor from the lamb without all the fat. The rosemary sounds like a nice addition I will try next time.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2016 at 4:32 pmI will have to try using whole fingerlings – I might roast them a bit longer first, because the lamb cooks so quickly.
Chef Mimi
May 23, 2016 at 3:37 pmBeautiful. Problem definitely solved! So happy to see medium-rare lamb!!!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2016 at 4:33 pmThanks, Mimi – I, too, am always appalled by overcooked lamb!
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
May 23, 2016 at 6:35 pmWhat an amazing story David! I'm sure it wasn't too much of a hardship having to test the recipe again! I try to get a lamb from a local farm in the fall. Unfortunately, the small town butchers usually don't go beyond lamb chops in cutting sophistication.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 24, 2016 at 4:33 pmSorry it is so hard to get a rack of lamb locally, Inger. Have you actually spoken to the farmer? Maybe no one ever asked!
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
June 4, 2016 at 1:31 pmThe small farmers have a hard time finding good butchers at all now. Apparently it is somewhat of a dying art–isn't that sad? I could get a rack of lamb in Milwaukee. A few years back I did a great lamb crown roast (with oyster dressing in the middle). Ah, so much good food, so little time…
Cocoa & Lavender
June 6, 2016 at 12:06 amThat is really sad. Out here in the West, cattle, pig, lamb, and goat farming is very big, and thriving. Lucky us! Your crown of lamb with the oyster stuffing sounds wonderful.
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness
May 24, 2016 at 5:47 pmDear David, lamb is very popular around here and we love it too. I can get really good quality lamb at a butcher not too far from where we live and I can see myself following your advice and making your "genius recipe" – sometimes things just fall in place perfectly…
Liebe Grüße,
Andrea
Cocoa & Lavender
May 25, 2016 at 1:53 pmAndrea – I always feel very lucky when something works, even if by accident! I hope you enjoy the lamb , and wish you all a beautiful weekend!
Nuts about food
May 25, 2016 at 9:12 amThat looks incredible!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 25, 2016 at 1:53 pmThanks, Fiona!
Nicole (RieglPalate.com)
May 26, 2016 at 1:14 amDavid – I'm so glad you found not only a clean but tasty way to prepare your mom's lamb. This sounds wonderful – we love lamb plus potatoes and rosemary. Thank you for sharing!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 26, 2016 at 1:02 pmThanks, Nicole – and you can definitely do this with GF bread crumbs!
Cindy
May 26, 2016 at 1:45 amOh my, It looks so yummy. Love how easy is to make it. Thank you!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 26, 2016 at 1:03 pmThanks, Cindy – that is what I love about it, too. So easy!
Christina | Christina's Cucina
May 28, 2016 at 9:40 pmSimply genius, David! Love the lining the pan with the rosemary idea! Now I'm hungry for lamb and potatoes!!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 30, 2016 at 4:33 pmThanks, Christina – wish I had thought of this year's ago!
Provence WineZine
May 29, 2016 at 3:17 pmI've had the pleasure of enjoying this meal with you–it is as wonderful as it looks, fellow readers–but I did not see you prepare it. A work of art indeed.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 30, 2016 at 4:34 pmThanks, Susan. This is back in our rotation now that I have figured out the spattering issue!
Unknown
June 1, 2016 at 1:01 pmThe lamb looks beautiful! But you know I'd have to pass! I think it's the lamb fat that bothers me so no potatoes for me either 🙂 The rest of my family however would LOVE this!
Great idea with the splattering problem. I really detest that about roasting anything. I do so many chickens and my oven's a nightmare.
I'm glad the lamb is back on your repertoire!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 2, 2016 at 12:56 pmThe potatoes and rosemary would work beautifully for chicken, too! Thanks for commenting, even though I know you don't love lamb. 🙂
Valentina
June 3, 2016 at 8:06 pmDavid, this looks and sounds AMAZING! I love lamb and rosemary. Love your description Markipedia not being amused by the splattering. You're funny. Wish this was for dinner. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
June 3, 2016 at 10:18 pmThanks, Valentina! I have to say that it IS pretty good – definitely worth trying! Sometime, we will have to have dinner together!
Mimi Rippee
March 30, 2024 at 7:24 amI found it Somehow I missed your post. Lovely recipe. Can’t get lamb where I live but I just got some from Lobel’s in NYC. For tomorrow!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 30, 2024 at 7:31 amGlad you found it. The lamb with the potatoes is to die for! Happy Easter!