“What’s good today?” I asked the butcher. Pork chops were on my list, lamb was not, but that was irrelevant.  I learned early that when it comes to meet, the grocery list is…more like guidelines. My dad was a very organized person: A Place For Everything, and Everything In Its Place. Mom would write up the grocery list, and he’d do the shopping. He always came home with everything on the list, and nothing else. The one exception to this rule was meat. The butcher, whose name was Phil if I remember correctly, would always steer Dad to what was best that day. Once, my dad said he wanted some pork chops. “No, you don’t,” said Phil. “You want lamb today.” And he was always right. It’s one of the advantages of getting your meat from a butcher, rather than wrapped in plastic. So, I came home with this gorgeous rack of lamb. It doesn’t require much seasoning, just a touch of herbs and some salt & pepper. Add in some beets, and serve with Fresh Mint Pesto. Divine!

You’ll find a printer-friendly version of the recipe at the bottom of this page.

Ingredients:

1 rack of lamb

5 beets, each about 1½” to 2″ in diameter

1 tsp olive oil

¼ tsp dried rosemary

¼ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1.) Preheat oven to 450°F. Peel the beets, and slice a bit less than ½” thick. You can use food prep gloves, or your hands in a couple of sandwich bags, to prevent staining your hands. Place beets in the middle of a foil-lined quarter-sheet pan. Add the olive oil, and toss to coat. Arrange the beets in a single layer toward the edges of the pan.

2.) Crush the rosemary & thyme with a mortar & pestle. Add the salt & pepper, and mix.

3.) Trim most of the thick layer of fat from the lamb, and place in the center of the baking sheet. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the beets & lamb. Pop the pan in the oven, and roast for 15 minutes.

4.) Remove from oven. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing between the ribs. Serve with Fresh Mint Pesto.