Dukkah-crusted Lamb Rack with Burnt Honey Gastrique

• doses: 2 servings

Ingredientes

1/4 cup (59 ml.) honey

1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sherry vinegar

2 lbs. (0.9 kg.) frenched lamb rack

Neutral oil

Kosher salt

Pistachio Dukkah

Instruções

MAKE THE HONEY GASTRIQUE

1. Place the honey in a small saucepan with tall sides. (This heips avoid spillover when it bubbles up.) Place over medium-low heat and cook the honey about 15 minutes, until it turns a ruby brown and begins to smell nutty. It will bubble a lot, but try not to stir it--at most, just gently swirl the pot.

2. Let the honey cool for several minutes, then stir in the vinegar. If not using right away, pour into a small bowl, cover and store in the fridge until ready to use.

COOK THE LAMB RACK

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and arrange the rack in the middle of the oven Fit a wire rack in a half sheet pan.

2. If your butcher hasn't already done so, you need to remove the large fat cap on the rack, Reach toward the bottom of the rack and slide your fingers between the fat and the meat. Begin to gently peel the cap away--it peels easily at first. When you 've exposed the meaty eye underneath, the fat cap will cling to the ribs and won't peel away as easily, so use your knife to make long strokes along the ribs and trim a bit of fat off the top. Discard this extra fat, Go back to the bottom of the lamb rack and find the tendon that runs along the bottom entire eye Grab it and gently pull; it should pull away easily, but if you have any trouble, use the tip of your knife to carve around it.

3. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add a few table-spoons of oil. When the oil shimmers and smokes, brush the lamb with more oil and season generously with salt. Lay the lamb fat side down in the pan and cook about 2 minutes, to render some of the fat until the meat is golden.

4. Sear the meaty end of the rack by holding it at an angle and standing it up in the pan for about 2 minutes to nicely brown. Then lay the rack meat side up on the rack and transfer the pan to the middle rack of the oven. Roast until a thermometer inserted in the centermost, thickest part of the meaty eye reads 125°F (51°C) for rare (pictured), 1 35°F (57°C) for medium-rare, and 140°F (60°C) for medium. (Alternatively, an oven's probe thermometer is helpful here.) I don't recommend cooking the rack to well-done, as the meat will be dry and tough. Let the lamb rest in the pan for 15 minutes to allow carryover cooking.

ASSEMBLE THE DISH AND SERVE

1. Spread the dukkah in a layer on a broad plate or tray. Brush the rack of lamb all over with a layer of the honey gastrique, then roll the lamb rack in the dukkah, pressing gently to make it stick.

2. Use a sharp knife to slice between the ribs and portion into chops. Arrange the chops on 2 serving plates and drizzle each with a spoonful of the remaining burnt honey.