Pan Roasted Rack of Lamb with Rosemary and Honey

In celebration of our 22nd wedding anniversary, Deirdre asked that I make her rack of lamb for dinner. Who was I to say no? I have a couple of lamb recipes I had used in the past, but I wanted to try a new recipe I found while looking up something else. I needed to find a wine that would complement this dish, so I consulted with Amy at Art of the Table and she recommended a bottle of 2003 Marsannay Cuvee Marie Ragonneau. It is a French Burgundy, and I am happy to report that it was a perfect compliment to the lamb. Below is the recipe:


Pan Roasted Rack of Lamb with Rosemary and Honey

Ingredients:
1T olive oil
1T chopped fresh rosemary
1T red wine vinegar
1T honey
1 clove garlic, minced
2 rack of lamb
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine the olive oil, rosemary, vinegar, honey and garlic in a small
bowl and mix well. Place the lamb racks, bone side up, in a shallow
dish and rub them with the marinade. Cover the racks and let sit at
room temperature for an hour.

Preheat an oven to 400F. Remove the lamb from the marinade and season
with salt and pepper to taste. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat on
the stove. Place the racks in the skillet and brown both sides for
about 2 minutes per side. After the racks are browned, remove them
from the skillet and place on a broiling rack or cast iron skillet.
Place the lamb in the oven and cook until the center of the meat
registers 135F.

When the racks reach 135F, remove them from the oven. Place the racks
on a cutting board and loosely cover in foil and allow them to rest
for 10 minutes. After resting, cut the racks into individual chops and serve.

Cook’s Notes: This is hands down the easiest rack of lamb recipe I
have ever made. The honey really complimented the red wine vinegar
and the rosemary.