Foodie Friday: Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb

I love lamb.

Lamb is such a great protein and an excellent source of essential amino acids, zinc, vitamins B12 and B3, and is relatively low in fat once it’s trimmed. Can’t beat that! As a huge fan of lamb, I’m always looking for new recipes to try out. I’ve recently adapted a quick and easy mustard crusted rack of lamb recipe from Emeril Lagasse and made a few small changes to make it my own. Since I’ve prepared it a number of times now, I can vouch that it is absolutely delectable.

Quick tip: Rack of lamb can be expensive to purchase however, if you have a Trader Joe’s nearby, go there first for their excellent New Zealand rack of lamb.  I always prefer organic, grass-fed, and local but, if it comes down to buying a $15 rack of good quality lamb versus a $40+ rack of organic local lamb, you can guess where I’ll be spending my money.

(click on pics for a larger view)

Ingredients:

• 1 rack of lamb, trimmed (about 1.5 lbs) – if you have to trim the fat yourself, make sure to use kitchen scissors
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard (I prefer whole grain Dijon for better texture and flavor)
• 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
• 1/4 cup of seasoned bread crumbs (I prefer organic panko )
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan (Do not use the stuff in a green canister! Grate fresh Parmesan yourself) (continues…)