Pistachio-Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Parsley-Mint Chimichurri

This dinner is a segue into fall. The lamb is earthy and evokes deep summer, while the heirloom carrots foreshadow the cool and fragrant months to come with just a hint of warm spices and maple. Crispy smashed potatoes are comforting yet not too rich, and the bright peppery arugula salad provides a welcome jolt of acidity to balance this rich and flavorful meal.

Description

Grilled Rack of Lamb: Pistachio and Herb Crusted New Zealand Rack of Lamb, Parsley-Mint Chimichurri

Heirloom Carrots Sous Vide: Moroccan Tan-tan and Maple Glaze

Crispy Smashed Potatoes: Baby Dutch Red and Golds, Rosemary, La Tourangelle Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Maldon Sea Salt

Arugula Salad: Parmigiano Reggiano DOP Mitica Di Montagna 24, Dijon, Sherry Vinegar Sarawak Black Pepper, EVOO

Macerated Strawberries: Balsamic, Orange Bitters, Turbinado Sugar, Mint, Vanilla Ice Cream, Pistachio Crumble (not pictured)

Ingredients

For the Lamb

1. 2 Frenched racks of lamb about 1lb each
2. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3. 2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
4. 2 tablespoons herbs de Provence
5. 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or MSG Salt)
6. ½ cup shelled pistachios, finely ground in a spice grinder or by hand with mortar and pestle, divided (half of these are for the lamb, the other half for the strawberries, below)
7. Pinch Maldon Sea Salt or other finishing salt

For the Mint Chimichurri

1. About 1 cup packed parsley – leaves and tender stems only
2. About 2 tablespoons fresh mint
3. About ¼ cup olive oil
4. 1 small shallot, finely minced – about 2 tablespoons
5. About 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
6. Pinch salt (or MSG Salt)
7. About 2 teaspoons Aleppo or other dried, crushed red chili pepper
8. Juice and zest of 1 medium sized lemon
9. 3 cloves garlic, finely grated on a microplane

For the Carrots

1. 1 lb heirloom (or just regular) carrots
2. 1 teaspoon Moroccan Tan-Tan Seasoning, or Shawarma seasoning, or curry powder, or garam masala, or Chinese 5 spice – pretty much any warm spice blend will do
3. 1 tablespoon maple syrup
4. 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
5. Kosher Salt (or MSG Salt)
6. 2 tablespoons butter

For the Potatoes

1. 2 lbs mini (golf ball sized) gold or red potatoes, or a combination
2. 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 2 teaspoons dried
3. 2 tablespoons good quality, fruity Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4. Crunchy finishing salt, such as Maldon

For the Arugula Salad

1. 5oz Arugala
2. 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3. 2 tablespoons champagne or sherry vinegar
4. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
5. Pinch salt (or MSG salt)
6. Grating of fresh parmesan cheese

For the Macerated Strawberries

1. 1 lb ripe strawberries, hulled or tops cut off, and halved or quartered depending on their size
2. 1 tablespoon good, thick balsamic vinegar
3. 3 tablespoons turbinado, raw cane, or maple sugar
4. 2 dashes orange bitters
5. 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely minced
6. ¼ cup shelled pistachios, finely crushed, for serving
7. Scoop vanilla ice cream, for serving
8. Dollop whipped cream, for serving

Prep

For the Lamb

1. Mix mustard and garlic together in a small prep bowl
2. In a separate bowl, combine herbs de Provence, salt, and half of the ground pistachios and mix together (we’re reserving the other half of the pistachios for the strawberries!)
3. Remove lamb from packaging and pat very dry. Trim off any excess fat and sliver skin.
4. Coat lamb with mustard-garlic mixture ensuring everything is spread evenly over the whole surface of the meat (but not the bones)
5. Sprinkle herb-pistachio mixture over the lamb. It will be slightly sticky, so it’s kind of more of a rub. Key is just to make sure it’s as evenly distributed as possible.
6. Place lamb on a wire rack (if you have one, otherwise a plate is fine), and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight

For the Carrots – Sous Vide Method

1. Scrub carrots with a green scrubby or non-treated steel wool. This will keep them looking rustic. Alternatively you may peel them if you like.
2. Combine all ingredients in a vacuum sealed bag, or alternatively use a freezer bag and the water displacement method to remove all the air
3. Submerge carrots in the bag in your water bath. Set Sous Vide Machine to 184. Once it gets up to temp, set a timer for 90 minutes.

For the Carrots – Conventional Method

1. Scrub carrots with a green scrubby or non-treated steel wool. This will keep them looking rustic. Alternatively you may peel them if you like.
2. Submerge carrots in a cold pot of water, covering by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Cook carrots, about 15-20 minutes, until soft but still offering some resistance.
3. While the carrots are cooking, prepare an ice bath
4. Once carrots are done, plunge them into the ice bath and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, combine butter, Tan Tan (or warm spices), Aleppo, Salt, and Maple Syrup in a small saucepan over gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Do not allow to burn. Set aside.

For the Potatoes

1. In a cold pot of water covering the potatoes by an inch or two, bring the potatoes to a boil, and boil for 15 – 20 minutes, until tender but still offering some resistance when pierced with a knife
2. Drain the potatoes and rise under cold water and allow to try at room temperature
3. In a small bowl, or motor-and-pestle, combine the rosemary with the salt and crush together to create a rosemary salt
4. Grease a cookie sheet large enough to hold the potatoes once smashed
5. Drizzle around 1 tablespoon olive oil on the potatoes along with half the rosemary salt and toss to coat
6. Place the potatoes on the greased cookie sheet, and gently crush them so that they’re about half an inch thick

For the Arugula Salad

1. Wash and drain the arugula if it did not come pre-washed
2. In a small mason jar or other jar with a lid, combine olive oil, mustard, vinegar, and salt. Shake to emulsify and set aside. Do not dress the salad just yet – the acid will cause the arugula to wilt very quickly.

For the Mint Chimichurri

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend together
2. Stir well, and set aside for 2 hours to allow flavors to marry. If made more than 2 hours in advance, refrigerate and bring up to room temperature 30 minutes before serving

For the Macerated Strawberries

1. Combine strawberries, vinegar, mint, sugar, and bitters in a medium bowl and toss to coat
2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving

Cook

For the Lamb

1. Set up your grill for 2 zone cooking (cool side, hot side). If using charcoal, bank the coals to one side. If using gas, light the burners on one side only.
2. Once the grill is very hot, sear the lamb on all sides until evenly browned. You’ll need to babysit this one – lamb has a lot of fat on the exterior and it will flare, so you’ll have to keep moving it around until you’ve got the color you want.
3. Once the lamb is nicely seared, move it to the cool side of the grill as far away from the heat source as possible. If using gas, consider leaving only one burner lit. Close the lid, and bring the lamb up to temperature slowly. When the lamb hits 135°F, remove from the heat and tent loosely with foil – rest at least 15 minutes or up to an hour
4. Sprinkle with Maldon Sea Salt just before serving

For the Carrots – Sous Vide Method

1. Remove carrots from Sous Vide bath
2. Snip off a small corner of the bag and drain the juices (they will smell amazing) into a small bowl
3. Roast or grill the carrots, turning occasionally, basting them with the bag juices until nicely glazed

For the Potatoes

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Place the potatoes in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes. Pull them just before you think they are done; they will continue to cook and stay hot for a while

For the Arugula Salad

1. Combine salad and dressing and toss just before serving
2. Grate fresh parmesan cheese over the top

For the Macerated Strawberries

1. Spoon strawberry mixture into bowls
2. Top with ice cream, followed by whipped cream, followed by pistachio crumble and serve