Ottolenghi’s Marinated Rack of Lamb with Coriander and Honey
Ideal as a centrepiece for a weekend meal with friends and family, this tender rack of lamb is served with a fragrant coriander, parsley and mint sauce.
From the book
Ottolenghi: The Cookbook
The original ground-breaking cookbook from Yotam Ottolenghi
Recipes for Ottolenghi's celebrated desserts
Inventive yet simple recipes to make at home
Introduction
All the work for this is done the day before – the meat just sits marinating overnight – and the dish can then be ready on the table within 20 minutes. It’s our kind of fast food for friends. The lamb is great either hot from the oven or else at room temperature, if you want to cook it in advance. It is really versatile, as good as a centrepiece main as it is simply piled in a sandwich with some mayonnaise or taken on a picnic, with the sauce in a little pot to dip in alongside.
Ingredients
| 1 kg | rack of lamb, French trimmed (you can ask your butcher to do this) |
| 20g | parsley, leaves and stalks |
| 30g | mint, leaves and stalks |
| 30g | coriander, leaves and stalks |
| 4 | garlic cloves, peeled |
| 3cm | piece of ginger, peeled and sliced |
| 3 | chillies, de-seeded |
| 50ml | lemon juice |
| 60ml | soy sauce |
| 120ml | sunflower oil |
| 3 tbsp | honey |
| 2 tbsp | red wine vinegar |
| salt |
Essential kit
You will need: a blender or food processor.
Method
Make sure most of the fat is trimmed off the lamb, leaving a uniform thin layer that will keep the meat moist and add to the flavour. Use a very sharp knife to separate the rack into portions of 2 or 3 cutlets. Place in a non-metal container.
Blitz together all the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor, along with 60ml water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Pour them over the lamb and make sure it is well covered for a night in the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas Mark 7. Heat up a heavy cast-iron pan, preferably a griddle pan. Remove the meat from the marinade and shake off the excess. Sear well on all sides, about 5 minutes in total. Transfer to a baking tray and cook in the oven for about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the racks and how well you want them cooked.
Meanwhile, heat the marinade in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Put the cutlets on serving plates and serve the sauce in a separate bowl. Both cutlets and sauce can be served hot or at room temperature.
