Crown Roast of Lamb
with Saffron Rice and Apricot-Mint Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients
· 2 racks of lamb, about 2½ lbs total
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
· 2 tablespoons minced garlic
· 2 tablespoons freshly cracked coriander seeds (or 1 tablespoon ground coriander)
· ½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley (¼ for meat, ¼ for rice)
For the Sauce
· 2 teaspoon unsalted butter
· 1 cup dry red wine
· ½ cup red wine vinegar
· 3 tbsp. apricot (or orange) preserves
· 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh mint
· Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to tasste
For the Rice
· 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
· Large pinch of saffron (20 threads)
· 1 tablespoon ground coriander
· 1 small red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
· 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
· 2 ¾ cups water or chicken stock
· ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaken frequently, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes
· 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
Make the sauce FIRST (it takes a long time): In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the wine, vinegar, and preserves and simmer until the sauce is reduced to about 1 cup, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the mint, and season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the meat (1)
Figure 1. Make a shallow cut in the flesh between each rib bone so that the rib racks will curve easily into the proper shape.
Figure 2. Sew the end of one rack to the other, to create the crown. Bend each rack into a semicircle (meat side out and fat side in) and tie them together at the center to hold the racks together (otherwise will straighten out in the oven).
Make the rice: In a medium saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the saffron, coriander, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil, then add the water. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Stir in the almonds and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a tea towel, put the lid on, and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare the meat (2)
While the rice is cooking, dry the lamb with paper towels, then rub it with the olive oil and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, coriander, and parsley and mix well, then rub this mixture all over the meat, pressing gently to be sure it adheres. Place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to cook 5 minutes more for rare. To check for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the dead center of the roast and let it sit for 5 seconds, then read the temperature: 120 degrees is rare, 126 degrees is medium-rare, 134 degrees is medium, 150 degrees is medium-well, and 160 is well-done.
When the lamb is done, transfer it to a chopping board (juice). Cover with aluminum foil and allow the meat to rest for 10 to 20 minutes. (While it is resting, reheat the sauce.)
To serve, spoon out the rice onto the plates. Slice the racks into individual chops. Top the rice with the chops and pass the sauce separately.