This Sunday brings Easter! Get ready for chocolate bunnies, colored eggs and yellow (let’s keep it traditional) marshmallow Peeps! Can you say sugar rush? Before we’ll let you spoil your appetite, Parties That Cook wants to give you a great recipe for deliciously savory Citrus-Stuffed Rack of Lamb. The citrus stuffing is an easy way to “spice up” your average lamb chop. Feeling apprehensive? Your butcher can prep (french) your rack of lamb for you, though it’s not too difficult to do yourself. We even linked a How-To video below!

Citrus-Stuffed Rack of Lamb
This recipe is also available in our Main Dishes and Holiday Recipes Sections!

Ingredients
1 cup water
1½ ounces currants (1/3 cup)
1 rack of lamb (1 pound), trimmed, frenched, reserve trimmings
1 teaspoon lemon zest, chopped
1 tablespoon each, fresh parsley, mint, thyme, chives, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/3 ounce (¼ cup) bread crumbs
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 sprigs of thyme
3 cups veal stock
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Methods/Steps
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Make Stuffing: In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the currants, let plump for 5 minutes and strain. In a mixing bowl, combine the currants, lemon zest, herbs, garlic, bread crumbs, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff Meat: With a boning knife, make a ¾-inch slit, through the center of the meat on the rack. With the back of a wooden spoon or using your fingers, push the stuffing through the meat. Season with salt and pepper.

Make sauce: In a small sauté pan, brown the scraps from between the rib bones in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pour off any oil or fat in the pan and add 1 cup of stock and a few branches of fresh thyme. Reduce to a syrup then add another cup of stock and reduce to a syrup again. Add the last ladle of stock, strain and season. Reheat the just when ready to serve.

Brown and Roast Rack of Lamb: In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the rack of lamb, fat side down until golden. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast rack 12 minutes, until internal temperature reads 130°. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Serve: Cut into chops, ladle essence over and serve.

Tip Alert: Make It Ahead! You can make the sauce up to 4 hours ahead and reheat before serving, and you can brown the meat up to one hour ahead.

Serves/Makes
Serves 8