Something Special
As I wrote in the column that appeared this past Wednesday in the Berkshire Eagle, we aren’t going out to dinner for Valentine’s Day this evening. Instead, we are staying home, enjoying this recipe, along with asparagus, mushrooms, and some homemade ravioli with ricotta and ramps that I have in the freezer from last spring. Whether you make this recipe for Valentine’s Day or another occasion, it will make your dinner something special!
ON THE LAMB
by Elizabeth Baer
It would appear that in 2027 Super Bowl LXI will occur on Valentine’s Day. Oof. I am guessing that will cause a good deal of discussion and bargaining and negotiation for many couples. But not us.
Back when I was still teaching in the classroom, as the calendar page turned to February, students would often ask, “Ms. Baer, what are you doing for Valentine’s Day?” Of course I wasn’t so deluded to think they actually cared about my life outside of school. More likely they wanted to distract me from the day’s lesson as long as possible.
I would just shrug and tell them that I’m a Valentine’s Day Scrooge, and that if you go out to dinner on Valentine’s Day, the food costs twice as much and is half as good. That would either cut the conversation off so we could start doing some Latin, or, if they were crafty, it would lead to strike up a conversation about various recipes I might make for a special date night in.
I don’t want to suggest my husband and I ignore Valentine’s Day altogether. We do give each other cards, and on one memorable occasion, we had just landed in Milan for a trip during the school February vacation week. As we sat in the airport having coffee to counter the jetlag, we exchanged cards. Hank opened his first and howled with laughter, not because the card was funny (although it was), but because he had bought me the identical card! Sadly those cards must have been tossed, but these days we save cards and just rotate which ones we give to each other in any given year! It might not be very romantic, but dinner always is.
It’s a nice excuse to splurge on something special that you wouldn’t eat on just any regular day, and a popular choice is rack of lamb. Even though this cut is well-suited for the grill, in the Berkshires, February often has less than ideal weather for that cooking method. Here I offer an easy recipe for oven roasting which will make it feel like a date night, one where you needn’t brave the cold or the crowds going out to dinner for Valentine’s Day!
CRUMB-CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS:
1 rack of lamb, 1½-2 pounds, 8 ribs
1½ tablespoons fig or apricot jam
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon dried basil, rosemary, or mint
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Several grinds fresh pepper
1 tablespoon butter, melted
¼ cup plain panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up.
Pat lamb dry and place the rack of lamb meat side up on the foil. Place the jam, mustard, herbs, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix well. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and add the breadcrumbs and Parmesan and stir to combine.
Using a brush or a gloved hand, spread the jam mixture on the meat. Spread the buttered bread crumbs on top of the jam mixture, pressing to adhere.
Roast for 20-25 minutes or until an instant read thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat measures 125°F for medium-rare. (If the meat on the rack seems thinner, start checking sooner.) If you prefer your meat medium, keep it in the oven until the thermometer reads 135°F.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes, during which time the internal temperature will rise to the desired 130°-135°F (for medium-rare), before cutting into serving portions.