A well-prepared rack of lamb is the ultimate entree for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner date. Focaccia Crusted Rack of Lamb a little taste of gourmet cooking, encrusted with fresh rosemary and delectable focaccia bread – but it’s something you can easily do yourself.
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Serves: 2
The perfect rack of lamb is only 40 minutes away, and is ready to serve you and your love at your Valentine’s Day dinner (with leftovers too). What’s more romantic than taking your partner out to a fancy restaurant? Cooking it yourself, of course. Nothing says “I love you” like the time, effort, and thoughtfulness that goes into preparing a fine dining experience at home.
Whether you’re new to cooking lamb or you’re experienced and just looking for a new recipe to try, you’re in the right place. If you’re new to lamb, there’s no need to worry! We know lamb can seem intimidating at first, especially if you want to get it right for your date night. But, don’t fret, Sungold lamb is simple. In fact, our lamb is comparable to cooking grain-fed beef. We’ve put together this foolproof guide to your perfect rack of lamb – anyone can prepare this delicious gourmet meal.
First step! Get your ingredients.
Roasting the Perfect Rack of Lamb
TIP: The first stage of a gourmet lamb meal is to, of course, prepare Sungold’s scrumptious Rack of Lamb. Rack of lamb is extremely tender and flavourful, so you’ll want to look for a quality cut of lamb with sophisticated flavor profiles. Sungold’s Rack of Lamb IS the premium option, it is grain-finished for a consistent flavor, texture, and tenderness. Only the best for your loved one!
1. Get prepped
First step is always to gather your ingredients. Pay close attention to quality! Go the extra mile and buy local – attention to detail shows your significant other how much you care.
Ingredients List:
- SunGold Frenched Lamb Rack 8 bones (1 lb 5 oz/453g)
- 1 cloves garlic
- 1 cup (250 mL) cubed day-old herb or plain focaccia bread
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil, divided
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) prepared olive tapenade
- 1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) Dijon mustard
After you’re done grocery shopping for the big day, lay out your ingredients in a way that’s easy for you to access.
Once you’re prepped and ready to go, preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pulse rosemary, bread, and garlic in your food processor
In a food processor, pulse your garlic until ground. Add cubed bread and rosemary; and continue to pulse until ground. You’re looking for that sweet spot where the crumbs are crumbly and not too fine, but also not so big that they won’t bake to your rack of lamb.
Drizzle with 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil to moisten crumbs and transfer the mix to the baking sheet you prepared earlier.
Did you know: Rosemary has historically been used as a symbol of love. It’s the perfect herb for Valentine’s Day!
3. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until toasted
Once you’ve laid this delicious rosemary breading out on some parchment paper, throw it in the oven for five to seven minutes until it’s slightly golden brown.
Make sure to let it cool completely before using it in step six.
4. Season lamb with salt and pepper
Lightly sprinkle the rack of lamb with salt and pepper in preparation for the skillet – to your personal fine tastes of course.
5. Sear your seasoned lamb
Now onto cooking your lamb. Don’t worry, it’s easy!
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium. Sear your lamb, fat side down, for about 3 to 4 minutes each side until brown.
Before moving on, let it cool slightly.
6. Mix your tapenade and glaze your rack of lamb
Phew, the hardest part is over.
Next, stir your tapenade in with the dijon mustard until it’s evenly mixed.
Brush it evenly over the fat side of your racks of lamb, and then coat them in the crumb mixture.
7. Roast your rack of lamb
Put your breaded rack of lamb into the oven on a sheet of parchment paper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes for medium-rare or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center without touching bone registers internal temperature of 145F (63C). Or, if you’re a fan of other preparations, cook to your desired doneness.
TIP: For Sungold lamb, we recommend medium-rare to medium for optimal flavor profile. In fact, the longer you cook lamb, the stronger the taste of lamb will be drawn out!
8. Voila! Your rack of lamb is complete
Pull your rack of lamb out of the oven. Next, let it stand for 10 minutes. This will ensure the juices and flavor stay within the meat and will reduce the amount of moisture that bleeds out at the time of cutting. (Also, so you don’t burn yourself). Next, cut between the bones at the bottom of the muscle (the thickest point) by fitting your knife between the bones to cut the perfect portion. This should be a gentle process and requires very little effort.
Nutrition Facts (Per 1/4 Recipe)
- Calories: 290
- Fat: 19g
- Carbohydrate: 17g
- Protein: 13g
Pick the Perfect Side Dish for your Rack of Lamb
Your lamb is done, but it’s not a true fine dining experience without some sides to compliment your entree. You don’t want your date to think you only put in a half effort!
Our personal favorite side for this dish is the Cherry Tomato Salad. But, there are plenty of other side dishes that would pair well.
Your lamb is done, but it’s not a true fine dining experience without some sides to compliment your entree. You don’t want your date to think you only put in a half effort!
Our personal favorite side for this dish is the Cherry Tomato Salad. But, there are plenty of other side dishes that would pair well.
Pair Wine With Your Rack of Lamb
The final piece of your idyllic date night is a glass of red wine to go with your meal. Is it really Valentine’s Day without red wine at your candle lit dinner?
So, how do you pair wine with a Focaccia Crusted Rack of Lamb? We’ve got a whole wine pairing guide for you to check out, but we’ll streamline the process for you.
Pinot Noir is the best match for a rack of lamb. This dry, light-to medium-bodied wine has complex, fruity, flavors that have echoes of raspberry and cherry. While this wine is fruity, Pinot Noir isn’t extremely sweet, making it the ideal match for the full flavors of high quality lamb rack. Pinot Noir also subtly complements the flavor of the rosemary in the lamb’s focaccia breading. There couldn’t be a better match for this dish!
Bonus: Start Planning Your Next Gourmet Lamb Dinner
What’s the best way to celebrate a successful romantic date night? Start planning the next one! Cooking gourmet isn’t just about the food, it’s about the beautiful memories you create in the process.
The Sungold blog is regularly updated with new recipes, tips, and tricks for preparing a delicious lamb meal. Find high quality cuts of premium lamb all year round at a grocery store near you.