Roasted Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs
Once you make this dish, it may become your go-to for holiday celebrations. Deeply flavorful lamb gets a boost from plenty of garlic and fresh herbs, and guests will be impressed if you carve the rosy-pink lamb into individual chops at the table. Best of all, they will never guess how easy it was to prepare. For the prettiest presentation, have your butcher French the chops, removing the meat and membranes between the rib bones, if you’d prefer not to do it yourself.
Ingredients
- 1 rack of lamb, 1 1/2 to 2 lb. (750 g to 1 kg), frenched (8 chops)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 7 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary, plus sprigs for garnish
- 1 Tbs. minced fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish
- 2 tsp. honey
- Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Directions
Place the rack of lamb on a baking sheet and season generously with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, honey and lemon zest. Rub the lamb all over with the mixture. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 2 hours.
Let the lamb stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Position a rack in the upper third of an oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C). Transfer the lamb to the oven and roast until deeply browned, about 15 minutes. Carefully turn the rack of lamb over and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat, away from the bone, registers 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare, about 10 minutes, or until done to your liking.
Transfer the lamb to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve into individual chops and arrange on a platter. Garnish with the rosemary and thyme sprigs and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen