Marinated Rack of Lamb with Cilantro and Honey is a perfect prep-ahead al fresco meal

Hello, September. You’re one of my favorite months. The heat begins to diminish, the days are still long with sunshine, and September provides some of the best al fresco dining weather we have in Wichita. Al fresco dining shouldn’t just be saved for nights at a restaurant. Some of our favorite memories are entertaining on our cozy little patio at home.

This week’s recipe for Marinated Rack of Lamb with Cilantro and Honey is perfect for a night on the patio with friends. A recipe that’s prepped the day before always makes for easy entertaining, and this dish has the lamb marinating overnight. Whenever I plan to serve lamb to guests, I make sure they like it first. It’s not a protein universally loved, but with a good recipe, you can convert some into lamb lovers.

Serve a watermelon mint feta salad and a currant couscous or quinoa alongside the lamb, and you’ll have happy diners on your patio. Think Mediterranean but on the lighter side. Lamb has its own bold flavor, but this marinade-turned-sauce is delightfully zesty and mouth-watering.

We’ve been favoring Rose this summer, but you can certainly transition to a light Pinot Noir this time of year.

Hope you savor outdoor moments with your family and friends while they last. If fall is anything like summer, it will whiz right on by.

Marinated Rack of Lamb with Cilantro and Honey

2¼ pound rack of lamb, French-trimmed

2/3 ounce flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stalks

1 ounce mint, leaves and stalks

4 cloves garlic, peeled

½ ounce fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

3 chiles, seeded

½ teaspoon salt

3½ tablespoon lemon juice

4 tablespoons soy sauce

½ cup sunflower oil

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons water

Make sure most of the fat is trimmed off the lamb, leaving a uniform thin layer, that will keep the meat moist and add to the flavor. Use a very sharp knife to separate the rack into portions of 2 or 3 chops. Place in a nonmetal container.

Blitz together all the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Pour them over the lamb and make sure it is well covered in the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat up a heavy cast-iron pan, preferably a ridged grill pan. Remove the meat from the marinade and shake off the excess. Sear well on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the rack sections and how well you want them cooked.

Meanwhile, heat the marinade in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Put the chops on serving plates and serve the sauce in a separate bowl. Both the chops and sauce can be served hot or at room temperature.

“Ottolenghi: The Cookbook”

This story was originally published August 31, 2021 at 12:31 PM.