Rack of Lamb with Chermoula and Preserved Lemon with Roasted Fennel and Beets


Rack of Lamb with Chermoula and Preserved Lemon with Roasted Fennel and Beets

Ingredients

  • Rack of Lamb with Chermoula with Preserved Lemon over Roasted Fennel and Beets
  • serves 2-3
  • Chermoula
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 3/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, halved,
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 preserved lemon, pulp removed, and rind cut into small dice
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • Lamb
  • 1 rack of lamb, frenched (about 1 ½ pounds) and trimmed of all but a thin layer of fat
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 bulbs of fennel, trimmed and cut lengthwise into large slices
  • 5-6 beetroots, peeled and cut into 8ths
  • 5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • olive oil
  • Yogurt Sauce
  • ½ cup plain whole milk yogurt
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • lemon juice, to taste
  • ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
  • 2 tablespoons chopped roasted pistachios
  • fresh cilantro
  • olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions

To make the chermoula, combine the cilantro and parsley in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped. Add lemon juice, spices, salt, pepper and some olive oil and process. Slowly drizzle the olive oil until you have a loose paste. Taste for seasoning and add a touch of honey if it needs a little sweetness. Add half the preserved lemon rind and stir to combine.

Preheat oven to 425.

Pat the lamb dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Over high heat, heat a heavy-bottomed pan until hot. Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of olive oil. Brown the lamb on all sides, 2-3 minutes on each side. Set aside.

While the lamb is browning, in a large bowl, toss the fennel, beetroots, and garlic with several tablespoons olive oil to coat, and toss with salt, and pepper. Arrange the vegetables on the bottom of a baking tray with the vegetables cut side down and spaced apart.

Place the browned lamb on top of the vegetables and brush with half of the chermoula sauce. Roast for 15 minutes then cover lamb loosely with foil and roast until a thermometer inserted diagonally into center of the meat reads 120 degrees, about 5-10 minutes. Let stand, covered, 15 minutes.

While the meat is resting, return vegetables back to the oven and place on bottom shelf until they are lightly browned, tossing vegetables to promote even browning another 10-15 minutes.

In a small serving bowl, add yogurt, salt, pepper, zest and juice and mix well. Add a little water if the yogurt is still a little thick. Set aside.

Serve with vegetables topped with the half of the remaining chermoula sauce and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, preserved lemon rind, chopped pistachios, cilantro and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

Serve the yogurt and remaining chermoula sauce on the side.

Comments are closed.