Seven basic ingredients and a few pantry staples can make a complete Easter feast. This dinner cooked in a sheet pan has the elegance of Christmas and all the freshness of spring.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 35 mins |
| Additional Time: | 1 hr 10 mins |
| Total Time: | 2 hrs 15 mins |
| Servings: | 6 |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 5 medium shallots, halved, divided
- 1 cup baby arugula
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley
- 9 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 2 (1 1/2) pounds rack of lamb, trimmed and frenched
- 1 ½ pounds fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 pound tri-colored baby carrots
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Place 2 shallot halves in a mini food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped, about three 1-second pulses. Add arugula, mint, and parsley; pulse until herbs are chopped, about five 1-second pulses. Transfer 1/2 of the herb mixture to a small bowl. Reserve remaining herb mixture for serving.
- Stir 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper into the bowl with the herb mixture; rub all over meaty parts of lamb. Prop the two lamb racks up together on a plate by placing the meaty ends on the surface with the bones upright, interlacing the bones so they rest against each other. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil.
- Meanwhile, toss potatoes, carrots, and remaining shallot halves with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Arrange in an even layer on the prepared baking sheets.
- Roast vegetables in the preheated oven until beginning to brown and almost tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and combine onto one baking sheet. Set aside until ready to use. Do not turn the oven off.
- Once lamb has marinated, place lamb racks onto the empty baking sheet.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan, scatter the roasted vegetables around the lamb, and continue to cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb reads 125 degrees F (52 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Stir remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, red pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt into the reserved herb mixture. Drizzle over lamb and vegetables.
- You can use a rack of lamb that is 1 1/4 to 2 pounds.
- “Frenching” means that the exposed bones are completely cleaned and removed of all impurities and sinew. It’s much more attractive and not much more effort. Wrap the bones in aluminum foil if you’re worried about them burning (mine didn’t).
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 666 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 34 g |
| Cholesterol | 95 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Protein | 26 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14 g |
| Sodium | 1108 mg |
| Sugars | 5 g |
| Fat | 48 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |