One of my resolutions for the year is to try and celebrate every day. The Universe has seen fit to give me lesson after lesson of how precious life is and that even in the routine, even in the mundane, we must celebrate this beautiful gift of existence we have. This celebration should certainly include food.
This recipe is super easy and simple, yet seems so decadent and delicious. Every time I make it, my husband, bless his heart, says, “What’s the occasion?” And I get to wink and smile, and say, “Just cause.” But if I needed to make a meal for a special occasion, this likely would be my go-to. You know those memes that say you should have one recipe that you make to impress someone. This could totally be it. My go-to used to be Chicken Piccata. This kicks that poultry all over the kitchen and dining room and back to Thursday night. 😉
Cook’s Notes about this recipe:
Do not forget to take the roast out in enough time to not only be thawed, but be sure that it’s room temperature before you roast.
If you are planning for a special meal and need to do some pre-work on this recipe, feel free to marinade overnight. However, I like to just have it marinate as it gets to room temperature. If you do marinate overnight, again, be sure to allow the meat to rest on the counter and lose it’s chill before you roast.
Do not skimp on the ingredients here. There’s not a lot. But be sure to get the fresh rosemary. Don’t skip the nutmeg. It’s essential to the flavor. Feel free to up the garlic and cayenne to your taste.
If you need to “rush” the roasting process, you can cut cooking time down by having the ribs sliced ahead of time, instead of carving the whole roast. But you will need to turn during cooking. It turns out yummy this way, too.
Take the time to massage your greens, especially if you’re using kale or mustard greens. If you have baby greens, no need to massage.
For the greens this recipe details olive oil; however, feel free to use whatever oil you like. I love the flavor that avocado oil gives the greens, but it’s your decision which to use. Most folks nowadays have olive oil, hence the recipe’s status.
In the photo above, I had some leftover cooked bacon that I crumbled in the greens. Feel free to do that right before you add the salt, pepper, and lemon juice. But totally optional.
Every oven can be different and depending on how warm your lamb racks are before putting in the oven, your roasting time may vary. Get that meat thermometer out.
Equipment:
Cast Iron Skillet
Roasting Pan
Meat thermometer
Ingredients:
2lbs frenched rack of lambs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 rosemary sprigs
4 cups of mixed baby greens (kale, spinach, mustard, etc.),
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 shallot, diced
salt,
pepper,
olive oil,
half a fresh lemon
Instructions:
In a small dish, combine salt and spices. Sprinkle seasoning evenly all over the lamb.
Add olive oil and minced garlic in a large zip lock bag and spread it evenly inside the bag.
Put the racks of lamb into the bag and place the rosemary on each side.
Squeeze out the air and zip the bag. Massage it slightly so that olive oil, garlic and all other spices are evenly distributed.
Marinate the lamb for at least an hour, or overnight. Bring it to room temperature before cooking.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Place the lamb racks on a baking sheet lined with foil.
Roast for about 30 to 40 minutes depending how you like it done. The internal temperature should reach at least 130-140°F for medium rare. Broil for 2-3 minutes to add a little char before taking it out.
Cover with foil and rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
While the roast is charing and resting — work your greens in a big cast-iron skillet. Add oil to pan. Heat the pan to med-high heat. Then add the chopped shallots for one minute. Then add the peppers. Sautee for about 2 minutes. Add the greens and let wilt, stirring often. Salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze the lemon over the greens, remove from heat and serve immediately alongside the lamb rib roast portion.
Enjoy.
So it’s the new year and you’ve promised yourself you’re going to eat healthier. But you love Pizza. Yeah, me, too.
Notes about the recipe:
Add pepperoni. Sprinkle with dried parsley if desired.
