Garlic & Rosemary Rack of Lamb

A well cooked Rack of Lamb, one of my all-time favourite dishes, is the perfect meal for the weekend. With minimal prep time, it's easy to impress friends, family, or that special someone with a dinner like this. Using the Rack rather than the Leg reduces cooking time, makes for much better presentation, and if done right, pretty much cooks itself!


You can also experiment with other flavour combinations, but I tend to go with Garlic & Rosemary pretty much every time. It's a tried and tested flavour, and works perfectly with Lamb.

You will need

• 1 Lamb Rack per 2 People (Roughly 3 Cutlets per serve)
• 4-5 Garlic Cloves (Peeled)
• Bunch of fresh Rosemary (Dried doesn't have anywhere near the same flavour)
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• An Oven-proof Pan
• Mortar & Pestle

What to Do

Firstly, preheat your oven to 200°C. While it's heating up, score the Lamb fat in a criss-cross pattern, season with salt and pepper, and leave to the side. Pour the olive oil into the mortar, add about half of the Garlic (finely sliced) and a pinch of salt & pepper. If possible, dip the rosemary in boiling water. This brings the oils in the herb to the surface, bringing out all the flavour locked inside. Strip the leaves off the stalk, add to the mix in the mortar. Smash it up with the pestle until you have a smooth paste-like consistency. Rub mixture over the Lamb liberally, and let to sit for a few minutes.

Get your pan on a nice high heat, and add the Lamb, Fat side down, to sear for about 4 minutes, then flip over. Sear on the other side for about 3 minutes, add the leftover Garlic and Rosemary straight to the pan, then drop it straight into the oven. Cook for about 15-20 minutes (For Medium Rare).

Remove Lamb from oven, and transfer to a warm plate. Cover with cling-foil and rest for 5-10 minutes. Carve and serve.

Serving Suggestion: It's so easy to serve this dish with Roast Vegetables, such as Potato, Kumera, Pumpkin, Squash or Zucchini... Just rough cut the veg up, season with salt and pepper, and throw them in a deep baking tray while the Lamb cooks. Another of my favourite sides is Green Beans, especially boiled in butter, as you can see, pictured above.