Rack of Lamb in an Herb Pesto Crust
Lamb is a protein people have of a strong opinion about. It definitely has a unique flavor and that’s part of what makes it such a great meat to cook with. We are in the camp of we love lamb with several recipes already shared on the blog.
This recipe is inspired from one we saw in Epicurious years ago. We’ve switched it up quite a bit, adding more herbs and a bit of lemon zest and made it our own recipe. Lamb is a great special occasion meal, like Easter in the spring or for a small dinner party any time. This recipe is for one rack, made for two but can be easily doubled.
Three herbs, rosemary, parsley and mint make up the base of the pesto rub. Then zest one whole small lemon and add a whole clove of garlic in a food processor.
Next add the freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Blend the Herbs into a Paste
If you have a handheld mixer or immersion blender with a bowl attachment, this the perfect amount to blend inside. Our good friends gave us a Sur La Table gift card for our anniversary last year so we splurged on the Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender. It was worth the spend for sure!
Find it HERE.
After making the initial paste, slowly add the olive oil. The pesto is now ready to rub on the lamb rack.
Add Garlic Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
Before rubbing the pesto on generously salt and pepper the lamb rack that is placed on a baking sheet. Next add the pesto on just the top and curve of the lamb. Don’t try to turn and rub both sides, or you’ll make a messy rack.
All ready for the oven. It does not need to turn as it will roast fully with the rounded side up.
In about 25 minutes, depending on the desired doneness, the rack is fully cooked. Let rest for about 5 minutes after removing from the oven.
Perfectly done! We roasted for a few minutes less than instructed and then let rest. This gave us a beautiful medium-rare finish. And, oh that pesto crust is so yummy!
Serve with smashed potatoes and some asparagus for a delicious special occasion meal.
Rack of Lamb in an Herb Pesto Crust
Ingredients
- One 1 1/2 -pound rack of lamb
- 1/2 cup (packed) parsley leaves, with stems removed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary + rosemary for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- Zest of one whole small lemon
- 1 whole garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Garlic Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Place the parsley, chopped rosemary, mint, lemon zest, garlic and grated parmesan cheese in a food processor. (a bowl attachment on a handheld blender works great)
- Process the ingredients until they form a thick paste. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. When all is mixed together, set aside.
- Trim the rack of lamb as desired. Generously garlic salt and pepper around the entire rack. Place the lamb rack on a small foil lined baking sheet. Spread all of the pesto on the round side of the lamb only.
- Place in the oven on a center rack and roast for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. Roast 10-15 minutes more until desired doneness. 15 minutes will result in a medium temp throughout.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice, cutting the lamb between the bone. Garnish with rosemary and serve at once. Enjoy!
A Perfect Pairing
Pair this delicious lamb with a fresh, easy to make Blackberry Sauce. Perfect for a special occasion dinner or just a quiet dinner for two.
Blackberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pint fresh blackberries
- 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1-2 tablespoons Fresh squeezed lemon
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the blackberries, balsamic vinegar, rosemary and lemon juice in a small sauce pan.
- Add about a 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
- Bring to a slight boil. Reduce heat and simmer slowly for about 30 minutes. The blackberries will fall apart slightly but will not fully disintegrate. The sauce is ready when thickened to the point it sticks on the back of a spoon.
- Using a sieve, strain the sauce into a bowl, leaving behind the large pieces of blackberry and rosemary.
- Serve with the dish of choice, sweet or savory. Enjoy!
- This recipe goes great with Rack of Lamb in a Pesto Crust found: HERE
