Pistachio Nut Crust Rack Of Lamb
This is a twist on a traditional dish with a fantastic pistachio crust. Ask your butcher to French trim the racks of lamb for you. To do it yourself, remove the meat and fat from the rib bones leaving 4–5cm (1 1/2–2 inches) of clean bones exposed.
Method
step one: Melt the butter in a small pan or in the microwave. Place in a food processor with the pistachio nuts and breadcrumbs and blitz until you have achieved fine crumbs. Season to taste.
step two: Place the racks of lamb on a chopping board and, using a pastry brush, spread the mustard thickly over the fat side of each rack. Cover with the pistachio crust using your hands to press it down, moulding it over the lamb. Arrange the lamb, coated- side up on a baking sheet and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours is fine, to allow the crust to ‘set’. Remove from the fridge 10 minutes before cooking.
step three: Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 400°F/gas 6. Place the racks of lamb in a small roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes per 450g (1lb) plus 20 minutes for pink lamb, or longer if you prefer your meat more well done. Remove the lamb from the oven and set aside in a warm place to rest for 10–15 minutes, then carefully carve into chops and serve on warmed plates.
Ingredients
- 50g (2oz) butter
- 50g (2oz) shelled pistachio nuts
- 50g (2oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
- 2 x 7-bone racks of lamb, each about 675g (1 1/2lb)
- 2 teaspoons prepared English mustard
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper