Rack of Lamb with Warm Green Bean Potato Salad

Yield 2
RECIPE Ingredients
  • 1 baguette, day-old
  • 4 ounces olive oil
  • 4 ounces fresh rosemary leaves
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 Frenched and Cap-Off Rack of Lamb
  • 1 ounce olive or canola oil
  • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
  • Dijon mustard, to coat

FOR THE WARM GREEN BEAN SALAD

  • 3 slices Applewood Smoked Bacon
  • 1 shallot, sliced thin
  • 1/2 pound green beans, cleaned, trimmed and blanched
  • 1/4 pound potatoes or small red new potatoes, cleaned, cut into quarters and boiled
  • 3 ounces goat cheese
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chiffonade
Recipe notes
Roast lamb chops are delicious with warm green bean and potato salad, and easy to make with this surefire method. Try it for weeknight dinner.
RECIPE Preparation
  1. Make the breadcrumbs: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the bread into 1-inch pieces. Place in a bowl and add the olive oil, toss to coat evenly. Spread cubes out on a sheet pan and toast in oven until golden brown. Check occasionally and stir for even toasting. When golden brown, remove from oven and cool. When cool, place the bread, rosemary, garlic and salt into a food processor and pulse to create bread crumbs. Reserve in an airtight bag until ready to use.
  2. For the lamb: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Season rack with salt and pepper. Heat oil in sauté pan on high heat.  Sear rack on the first side for 3 minutes, then turn over and sear for 3 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and place it in the oven for 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and remove the rack of lamb from the pan and let it rest.
  3. Refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, using a pastry brush, coat each top side of rack of lamb with the Dijon mustard. Then take the bread crumbs and pat onto the mustard. Place on a sheet pan and into a 450 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on desired degree on doneness (5 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for medium.) At desired degree of doneness, remove from oven and let rest for 2 minutes. Slice when ready to serve.
  4. Place bacon in a pan and sauté until done.  Remove from the pan, small dice and reserve. Discard the bacon fat from the pan, leaving about one tablespoon.On medium heat, add the shallots and sauté for one minute.  Add the potatoes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the green beans and heat for one more minute. Turn off the flame and add the goat cheese, bacon, vinegar and mint. Toss to mix thoroughly. Season and serve.