Lamb Racks with Radish & Cucumber Curry
Makes 4 Servings
Delicious pan roasted lamb racks served atop a quick radish & cucumber curry and a radish/cucumber salad (giving you a blend of raw & cooked, hot & cool).
Because this recipe was developed by a modernist chef, some of the ingredients are measured by weight (grams, but we’ve included ounce estimates as well). All you need is a kitchen scale!
INGREDIENTS
- Roasted Lamb:
- 2 Frenched Lamb Racks
- Up to 45gr (1.6oz) of Salt
- High Heat Oil (Canola, Safflower, etc)
- 1 tbsp Butter
- Flake Finishing Salt
- Radish & Cucumber Curry:
- 1 clove Garlic, sliced super thin
- 1 Walla Walla Onion, sliced super thin
- 1 English Cucumber, cubed, peel on
- 6 Large Radishes, rough cut into 3rds
- 20-30gr (up to 1oz) Neutral Oil
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1/2oz Turmeric
- 1/4oz Whole Cumin Seeds
- 1/4oz Yellow Mustard Seeds
- 5gr (about 2 4/5tsp) Ground Ginger
- 1gr (about 1 and ½ quarter teaspoons) Red Chile Flakes
- 24gr Kosher Salt
- 10 Fresh Curry Leaves
- 10oz Whole Fat Greek Yogurt
- 45gr Sherry or Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup Water
- Radish & Cucumber Salad:
- ½ English Cucumber, cubed, peel on
- 6 Large Radishes, rough cut into 3rds
- ½ bunch fresh Cilantro, torn
- 1 part Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 parts Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1gr Salt
DIRECTIONS
1
Optional (But Recommended): Trim off the cap (spinalis) muscle from the racks, along with the thin layer of fat above it and the silverskin below it. This can be left on, but the silverskin will make the rack less tender.
2
Optional (But Recommended): Season the racks with 35-40gr of salt & let them sit 1-1 ½ hours in the fridge uncovered.
3
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Make the Curry:
4
Combine all the curry sauce ingredients, except the yogurt & water, together in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
5
Increase the heat to high & cook, stirring, until the ingredients caramelize, the mustard seeds start to pop & the pan looks a bit dry – about 5-6 minutes.
6
Reduce the heat to medium & add 6oz of the yogurt and the water. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Periodically scrape the bottom with a silicon spatula to make sure the thicker ingredients don’t burn.
7
Take the curry sauce off the heat and transfer it to a bowl. Let it cool slightly, then fold in the remaining 4oz of yogurt. Keep it warm while you finish the dish.
- Roast the Lamb Racks:
8
Season the lamb with salt & coarsely cracked pepper.
9
Get an oven-safe cast iron skillet or frying pan, lightly oiled with high heat oil, very hot over almost high heat. Lay in the racks on their fat caps, optionally (if the racks have the rib fat cap on) holding the fat cap to the surface for the pan for about 30 seconds, until you feel the fat stick to the pan.
10
Add the tablespoon of butter to the pan. Once it melts, spoon it over the back end of the racks.
11
After about 2 minutes of basting, after the bottom has caramelized, flip the racks and again baste them with the butter. Cook for another 2 minutes, then move the pan to the oven to roast to your preferred doneness (they should take only a couple of minutes to reach medium rare).
12
Remove the lamb racks from the oven and the pan. Let them rest for 5-6 minutes before slicing between the bones.
- Make the Salad:
13
Whisk together the cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and salt.
14
Toss the raw cucumber, radishes, and cilantro in the dressing.
- Plating:
15
After the lamb has rested, cut it into half portions or between the bones into chops.
16
Put some of the cucumber radish curry on each plate. Top it with the salad, then top the salad with a lamb rack portion. Season the lamb with finishing salt & serve.