Pesto Crusted Rack of Lamb

These mashed potatoes are delicious and easy to make.  They are a lovely addition to a Thanksgiving feast.

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Pesto Crusted Rack of Lamb
The four-step method for roasting these lamb racks—a quick sear for color and flavor, a brief rest so the meat can relax, a coating of bright, lemony parsley pesto and cheesy breadcrumbs, and then a roast in a hot oven—yields lamb that’s tender, tasty, juicy, and beautiful, to boot.
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1690 calories
76 g
25 g
145 g
30 g
23 g
369 g
1559 g
4 g
0 g
114 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
369g
Servings
8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1690
Calories from Fat 1272
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 145g
224%
Saturated Fat 23g
113%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 25g
Monounsaturated Fat 89g
Cholesterol 25mg
8%
Sodium 1559mg
65%
Total Carbohydrates 76g
25%
Dietary Fiber 8g
33%
Sugars 4g
Protein 30g
Vitamin A
111%
Vitamin C
156%
Calcium
57%
Iron
61%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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For the crumb coating
  1. 2 cups 1-inch-cubed fresh baguette (with crust)
  2. 1-1/2 oz. (1/4 cup) pine nuts, toasted
  3. 1 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup using a rasp grater)
  4. 1 tbs. finely grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
  5. 1 medium clove garlic, chopped
  6. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pesto
  1. Or use Buitoni Refrigerated Pesto
  2. 1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
  3. 1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
  4. 6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  5. 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (from 1/2 small lemon)
  6. 1 medium clove garlic, chopped
  7. Kosher salt
For the lamb
  1. 3 8- or 9-bone frenched lamb racks (about 1-3/4 lb. each)
  2. 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  3. Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Make the crumb coating
  1. Pulse the bread cubes, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon zest, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a food processor until coarse crumbs form.
  2. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Make the pesto
  1. Pulse the parsley, rosemary, oil, lemon zest, garlic, and 1/2 tsp. salt in the food processor until a coarse paste forms.
Sear the lamb
  1. Heat a heavy-duty 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
  2. Rub the lamb racks all over with the oil and then, working with one rack at a time, sear them, meat side down, until browned, about 4 minutes each.
  3. Pour off any accumulated fat, as necessary.
  4. Let rest on a cutting board for about 20 minutes to cool.
  5. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.
Roast the racks
  1. Rub one-third of the pesto over the meat side of each rack.
  2. Firmly press the crumb coating over the pesto.
  3. Arrange the racks bone side down in a large roasting pan (if the racks seem crowded, rest the bones on the edge of the pan).
  4. Roast until the crumbs are browned and a probe or instant-read thermometer inserted into the eye of the meat registers 135°F for medium rare, 25 to 30 minutes, or 145°F for medium, about 40 minutes.
  5. Let the racks rest in the pan at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. Transfer to a carving board and carefully slice between the bones to make individual chops. Lightly sprinkle the cut sides of each chop with sea salt and serve with any crumb coating that fell off during carving.
Tips & tricks
  1. Make Ahead Tip: You can make both the crumb coating and pesto up to 1 day ahead and keep them refrigerated in separate airtight containers.
Adapted from Fine Cooking
Beta Nutrition
calories
1690
fat
145g
protein
30g
carbs
76g
Full Info.
Adapted from Fine Cooking
Jessy + Melissa https://www.jessyandmelissa.com/