Local Spring Lamb
Here’s a story I did for www.sprig.com. You can find local lamb by going to www.localharvest.org and typing in your zip code. Here in the Lexington area you can purchase locally raised organic lamb from Elmwood Stock Farm at the Lexington Farmer’s Market.
Delicious coriander rack of lamb recipe
Featured item: MAY 26, 2008
Why it’s good:
Grass fed animals are better for your health for they contain more vitamin E, beta carotene and a number of health-promoting fats, including omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid, a newly discovered good fat thought to be a potent cancer fighter.
Why it’s green:
Because most sheep and lamb do not eat grains at all, their grass diet—which they obtain on their own via grazing—requires much less fossil fuel than with shipping grains (which is also usually combined with antibiotics).
Spring lamb is one of those guilty pleasures. It’s something to savor and enjoy during the season—but it’s best not to think too much about where it came from. Cute fluffy critters bouncing around a pasture are not what you want to have in your head when you’re about to dig into a rack of lamb with knife and fork.
This is the hard part of knowing where your food comes from—which, hopefully, is from a local farmer who raises their animals in fields rather than feedlots. I have a friend who raises meat lamb (as opposed to wool lamb for knitting and such) who cannot bring herself to eat it. I understand, which is why I focus on growing vegetables.
You can rationalize your taste for lamb, as I do, by knowing that the animals had a good life before they became your dinner. And that buying from a local farmer helps preserve the land and the environment, and supports a family devoted to growing healthy food for their community. (To find a local farmer in your area go to www.localharvest.org).
This simple recipe enhances spring lamb without gilding the lily, so to speak. Cooking a rack keeps the chops from becoming overcooked so you can enjoy every juicy bite.—Susie Quick
Coriander Lamb Racks with Cherry Tomatoes
Order the lamb ahead of time and ask the butcher to trim and "french" the bones, removing the meat from the top of the bones. You should check the rack starting at about 20 minutes, because if your oven heats unevenly, or is smallish, it will cook faster and overcook the lamb—not a good thing. To round out the meal, serve with some cooked local or organic asparagus, tossed with butter.
Serves 2
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon tri-colored or black peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 (8-bone) rack of lamb, about 2 pounds, trimmed and frenched
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 12-ounce containers organic cherry tomatoes
1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
2. Grind the peppercorns and coriander seeds in a clean coffee grinder or spice grinder until fine. Brush the lamb with 1 tablespoon oil and rub all over with the ground spices. Sprinkle with salt. Wrap the bare bones with aluminum foil. Place the lamb in a lightly oiled roasting pan in the oven.
3. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, parsley, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat; scatter around lamb.
4. Roast the lamb 20 to 25 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 130ºF, for medium rare, to 140ºF for medium. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before carving into chops. Spoon some of the tomatoes and juices onto plates and top with chops. Spoon more sauce over top and serve.
