A classic herbed crust on delicate lamb really compliments the meat. Add some chopped marinated anchovies for a salty kick, if you like. The asparagus pesto is also a delight served with fish, or simply stirred into a bowl of steaming pasta.
This lamb rack is cooked with a herby crust and then served with a delicious asparagus pesto. A perfect recipe to enjoy this Easter as an alternative to lamb with gravy.
For more Easter inspiration, we have plenty of recipes to try. If you fancy baking this Easter time, then check out our cakes and sweet treats, or if you need Easter breakfast ideas, then we have you covered.
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Yields:
6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Cal/Serv:
590
Ingredients
For the lamb
50 g unsalted butter, softened
25 g parsley finely chopped
25 g mint, leaves picked and finely chopped
15 g chives, finely chopped
50 g fresh breadcrumbs
2 tsp. English mustard
Few dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 medium egg
3 French-trimmed lamb racks, see GH TIP
For the asparagus pesto
300 g asparagus
1 garlic clove, crushed
Large handful parsley, roughly chopped
50 g pine nuts
40 g Parmesan, grated
Finely grated zest 1/2 lemon, juice 1/2-1 lemon, to taste
50 ml olive oil
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. For the lamb, in a large bowl, mix the butter, herbs, breadcrumbs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, egg and plenty of seasoning.
Step 2Arrange the lamb racks on a baking tray and press the herb mixture on top of the meat, avoiding the bones, to form a crust.
Step 3Roast the lamb for 15-18min for pink meat, or 20min for medium. Remove from the oven, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 10min.
Step 4While the lamb is cooking, make the asparagus pesto. Bring a medium pan of water to the boil. Trim and discard the very ends of the asparagus. Roughly chop the spears and cook in the boiling water for 5min, or until tender but not mushy. Drain, reserving a cupful of the cooking water, then run under cold water to stop the cooking.
Step 5Put the asparagus into a blender with the garlic, parsley, pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon zest, a splash of the reserved cooking water and some seasoning. Whizz until fairly smooth (you’ll need to stop and scrape down the sides occasionally). With the motor running, drizzle in the oil, followed by the lemon juice, to taste. Check seasoning.
Step 6To serve, slice the lamb rack between the bones to make cutlets and serve with the asparagus pesto.
GET AHEAD:
Prepare to end of step 2 up to a day ahead. Cover and chill. Make asparagus pesto up to a day ahead. Cover and chill. To serve, allow lamb and asparagus pesto to come up to room temperature before completing recipe.
GH TIP:
French-trimming a rack means the top layer of fat and any sinew has been removed from the meat and the bones have been scraped clean. Ask your butcher to do this, if you like.
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
