rack of lamb (frenchED, roasted)

Lamb always seemed so exotic to me that I never thought cooking it would be feasible. Turns out, if you buy it French cut from the butcher (or from Costco) it's super easy to use. The crust for this recipe goes well with chicken or pork as well, but works especially well here. Even our six year old thought it was delicious. This makes for a great Easter Sunday meal paired with the Brussel sprout salad and fresh rolls. 
Ingredients
The lamb
  • 2 lbs frenched rack of lamb
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 TBPSP Dijon mustard
  • 2 TBSP olive oil

The crust
  • 2 cups fresh Panko
  • 4 Tbsp crushed or minced garlic (or 2 heaping 2 Tbsp)
  • 4 Tbsp dried rosemary (or fresh if you swing that way)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 6 TBSP olive oil (to get it to stick together)
  
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Directions
1. If you didn't buy the rack of lamb frenched, then just give up now and make something else.
2. Unwrap the lamb, place it on paper towels and salt and pepper it and then let it sit while you get everything else ready.
3. Preheat the oven.
4. Mix the Panko, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
5. Add the olive oil until it come together in a nice paste.
6. Heat a skillet on medium high heat with 2 TBSP of olive oil. Once hot, sear the lamb (all sides) about 1-2 minutes per side.
7. Once seared, let it sit for a minute so it's not too hot to handle.
8. Brush Dijon mustard generously over the meat. 
9. Roll the lamb in the panko mixture (I do that and then pat in on so it makes a nice covering just over the meat, leave the bones alone).
10. Place in the oven and cook for 13-20 minutes until it measures at least 130 degrees (I usually start measuring the temperature around 13 minutes).
11. Once you have reached the desired level of doneness, let it rest for about 5 minutes, then cut, and serve. 
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Costco pEEssa

Most of my summers were spent visiting my grandfather in Spokane, Washington. There were endless fishing trips down the Little Spokane River or trips with him and Rondo Birch to the lakes in the surrounding region. Hikes in the mountains or along the river were always fun, or even just walking up Five Mile in the morning, he was always up for a good wander.  A special treat was going to River Front Park with its carousel and trash goat, and of course: Costco Pizza. Always on the lookout for a good deal, Costco pizza was high on his list. I can still hear his voice ringing out, "Mike, let's go to Costco and get a peessa?" (That's how he said it: peessa). The peessa would last for days, and between his oatmeal and waffles, I'm pretty sure it made up the bulk of his sustenance. You were one of a kind Floyd, hope they have peessa in Heaven.