Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

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Slow Roasted Rack of Lamb with a Creamy Mustard Tarragon Sauce

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A lamb rack recipe in collaboration with Tasty, Easy Lamb.

Slow-Roasted Frenched Rack of Lamb Loin Chops with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Regular readers will know that I have been doing quite a bit of travelling over these last few months. I’ve been wined and dined in Aberdeen, Scotland, explored some of the finest bistros Paris has to offer, spent a fantastic few days trekking and dining in Lake Garda, Italy, and, more recently, we’ve just come back from a rather fantastic holiday to Costa Brava, Spain.

So much good food! It’s nice to be back in my kitchen though, experimenting with recipes. This particular recipe was created inspired by a meal I ate for lunch one day at a little Italian cafe nestled down a narrow lane. 
Slow-Roasted Frenched Rack of Lamb Loin Chops with Creamy Mustard Sauce

The original dish I ate was a slow roasted rack of lamb chops served with a mustard cream sauce on a giant cheese stuffed gnocchi. I have no idea how they made this giant gnocchi, and the cheese that was in it was made in small batches by a local elderly Italian farmer and it didn’t even have a name. To simplify, I’ve used ready made gnocchi you can get in the supermarket – ready in just a few minutes.

For this recipe, I’ve used French-style lamb loin racks prepared by my local butcher. French rack of lambs tend to be on the pricey side though, so if you’re looking for something a bit more budget (and time) friendly use lamb chops or lamb cutlets instead and cook quickly in a skillet instead of slow roasting.

Slow-Roasted Frenched Rack of Lamb Loin Chops with Creamy Mustard Sauce

I like my lamb slow roasted over hours. It results in a tender, mouth watering, fall off the bone meat, but for those of you who prefer a more medium-rare lamb simply roast your racks of lamb at a higher temperature for just 20-25 minutes, covering with foil after 15 minutes so it doesn’t brown too much. I’d invest in a digital meat thermometer too, to take the guesswork out of cooking meat, and you’ll know when it’s at the ideal temperature.

This creamy mustard tarragon sauce, I tell you, is something else too. Absolutely delicious! You don’t need a lot of it as it’s quite rich, but it really does transform this meal into something dinner-party worthy. Simply deglaze the pan with a bit of cognac, stir in some whole grain mustard, double cream and a sprinkling of freshly snipped tarragon leaves. Gorgeous!

Slow-Roasted Frenched Rack of Lamb Loin Chops with Creamy Mustard Sauce

The garnishes, as simple as they are, really work well with this dish too. Just a few walnut halves, arranged sitting in the sauce, a little sprinkling of pomegranate seeds for that sweet and sharp bite and a few cress leaves. My original meal had a little sprig of lamb’s lettuce as a garnish, which I couldn’t source here in Shetland, so I used some pretty purple lettuce from my veg box to decorate.

All in all a rather fantastic (mother-in-law approved!) recipe. For more lamb recipe inspiration visit the Tasty Easy Lamb website, and follow them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Slow-Roasted Frenched Rack of Lamb Loin Chops with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Slow Roasted Rack of Lamb with a Creamy Mustard Tarragon Sauce

This effortless meal is simple enough to prepare but would work well for dinner party entertaining.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

for the slow roasted lamb

  • 2 8-rib French racks of lamb
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil to sear
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 large garlic clove crushed
  • 50 ml water

for the creamy mustard sauce

to serve

  • 500 grams ready made gnocchi cooked according to packet instructions
  • pomegranate seeds to garnish
  • cress leaves to garnish
  • 8 walnut halves to garnish
  • 4 sprigs salad leaves to garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 120 °C/ 250 °F/ Gas Mark 1.
  • Heat a large skillet pan for a few minutes so it gets very hot. Add the sunflower oil and sear the lamb racks on both sides but not the ends, until they are browned.
  • Place the lamb in a roasting tin and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the fennel seeds and the garlic. Pour the water around the meat and cover the roasting tin tightly with aluminium foil.
  • Slow roast in the centre of the oven for 2-3 hours, depending on the size and thickness of your lamb racks.
  • Transfer the lamb to a serving platter and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Deglaze the roasting tin with the cognac, scraping up any delicious bits stuck to the bottom.
  • Add the wholegrain mustard and remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the double cream and gently reheat until warmed through. Stir through the tarragon and season well to taste.
  • To serve, spoon a small circle of mustard sauce in the centre of a plate. Top with the freshly cooked gnocchi and arrange a few sliced lamb chops on the side. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, walnut halves, cress leaves and a small piece of salad.

Notes

For a quick and easy version, simply fry 8-12 lamb chops in the sunflower oil in a skillet. Deglaze with the cognac and add 50 ml lamb stock before adding the rest of the sauce ingredients.
Alternatively, roast the lamb at 350 °F/180 °C/ Gas Mark 4 for 20 - 25 minutes instead for medium-rare doneness. You might need to cover with foil after 15 minutes to stop browning. Use a meat thermometer to check that the temperature is correct: 145 °F/ 62 °C (medium rare), 160 °F/ 71 °C (medium), or 170 °F/ 77 °C (well done).
Tried this recipe?Mention @TangoRaindrop or tag #elizabethskitchendiary!

Slow-Roasted Frenched Rack of Lamb Loin Chops with Creamy Mustard SauceOTHER LAMB RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

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SHOP THIS POST

SuperFast Thermapen 4 Digital Thermometer
Ready Made Potato Gnocchi
Courvoisier VSOP Fine Cognac Brandy

Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

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This is a commissioned recipe for Tasty, Easy Lamb. Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to do what I love: mess up my kitchen and share recipe stories.



Comments

  4. I have always loved creamy mustard tarragon sauce. It dramatically jazzes up your food by simply putting a small amount. It is so rich and delicious. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. We’re definitely having soon.

    Reply

  5. My wife loves to have lamb. This recipe will definitely make me look good and like a real chef. Hopefully, I can get a good rack of lamb at the supermarket.

    Reply

  14. Oh wow, words cant describe how amazing this looks!! I have only had rack of lamb once, and that was in culinary school. I should totally make it again!

    Reply

  15. Oh wow, this looks absolutely incredibly yummy! I need this in my belly. Going to ask the man if he fancies this at the weekend. Thanks for such a great recipe. x

    Reply

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