Yesterday was my birthday (yep, another year down… man, do they fly by these days or what?). My awesome bosses all told me to go home early since there was nothing pressing happening, so I decided to make one of my favorite fancy-yet-amazingly-easy meals for dinner (J’s taking me out to dinner tonight and had to work late, so he was basically relieved of the obligation to cook me something for my birthday) – Grilled Rack of Lamb.
Now, while rack of lamb can become prohibitively expensive when purchased at the meat counter at, say, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s carries these great 8-rib pre-frenched New Zealand racks of lamb that are never more than about $13 for the package, which feeds two people perfectly. So, without further adieu, here’s the recipe for my deceptively simple yet elegant Rack of Lamb with Port-Rosemary Sauce.
My picture-perfect Rack of Lamb with Port-Rosemary Sauce
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 8-rib rack of lamb, frenched and trimmed of excess fat
- Freshly ground pepper and sea salt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
- A few sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
- Dijon mustard
- 1 large shallot, sliced
- 2 more sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 cups Port (it doesn’t need to be expensive Port but be sure it’s ruby, not tawny)
Preparation
Season the rack of lamb generously with salt and pepper and place in a large, gallon-sized ziploc bag. Add to the bag the garlic, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, and enough Dijon mustard to really coat the entire rack. Rub some of the mixture into the meat and allow to marinade for up to a day. Be sure to allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking. This means that you need to remove it from the refrigerator about an hour before you’re ready to cook.
In the meantime, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the shallot in the butter until soft. Add the sprigs of rosemary and muddle with a wooden spoon to release the rosemary flavor. Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes. Add the Port and balsamic vinegar. Bring the liquid to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and allow the liquid to reduce until it is thick enough to almost coat the back of your wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Once it has reduced to your satisfaction, strain out the shallot and rosemary, pressing the solids to get as much liquid out as possible.
While you’re reducing your sauce, heat your grill to medium-high. Place the rack of lamb on the grill, meaty side down, and allow to cook for about 7 minutes before flipping it to the other side and allowing it to cook for another few minutes. Remove from the grill when
a meat thermometer placed in the meatiest part measures about 145 degrees. Tent the meat with aluminum foil and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
Once the meat has rested, slice the rack into individual ribs and arrange on two plates along with a simple side salad and some grilled bread (of course). Drizzle the meat with sauce and serve.
As it was a special occasion, I served this meal with one of my very favorite wines – a 2007 Babcock Ocean’s Ghost Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara’s Santa Rita Hills. Pinot Noir is a natural pairing with lamb, as the fruit and earthy components of the wine perfectly complement the unique flavor of lamb. And Babcock’s Ocean’s Ghost Pinot Noir is an especially good match, with its cool, subtle minerality that really does remind you of a dense fog rolling over the Santa Rita Hills from the Pacific Ocean.
In short, a perfect meal….
Cheers!
