Crown Roast of Lamb

Cooking With Rania - "Recipes for Easter"
KDKA Pittsburgh Today Live 4/13/2011

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Crown Roast of Lamb

INGREDIENTS

2 trimmed racks of lamb, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds each - tied together to form a crown. (Your butcher can do this for you.)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 large cloves of garlic - minced
1/4 cup finely minced onions
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Rice and Pine Nut Pilaf (see recipe below)
Port-Currant Sauce (see recipe below)

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic, minced onions and rosemary. Add the mustard and balsamic vinegar. Coat the entire roast with the mustard mixture. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the roast on a roasting pan and bring the meat to room temperature. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes or, until your meat thermometer reads 135 degrees for medium rare. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Remove the roast from the pan and place on a large round serving platter. Fill the cavity with the hot rice and pine nut pilaf (place extra rice pilaf in a serving bowl to pass to guests. Place the Port Currant Sauce in a sauceboat to serve with the lamb.
Slice the roast into individual chops and spoon the pan sauce over each chop. Serve with the rice pilaf. Rice and Pine Nut Pilaf Ingredients 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons minced onion 2 cups converted rice 4 cups chicken broth 1 bay leaf 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup pine nuts 6 green onions - sliced 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley Directions Melt butter in a saucepan and cook the onion until the onion is translucent. Add the rice and stir briefly over low heat until the grains are coated with butter. Stir in the broth, making sure there are no lumps in the rice. Add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until all of the liquid is gone. Do not stir rice while cooking. Remove the cover and discard the bay leaf. While the rice is cooking, in a small sauté pan, melt the butter and add the pine nuts and green onions. Cook until the nuts turn golden brown and the onions soften. Add in the parsley and remove from the heat. Add in the toasted pine nuts, sautéed green onions and chopped parsley. Port - Currant Sauce Ingredients 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons ruby port 2/3 cup pomegranate juice 3/4 cup red currant jelly 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice 3 tablespoons matchstick size strips orange peel (orange part only) 3 tablespoons matchstick size strips lemon peel (yellow part only) For sauce: Combine port, pomegranate juice, currant jelly, orange juice, and citrus peels in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, until sauce thickens slightly, about 15 - 20 minutes. (This sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.) When ready to serve — re-warm sauce gently. Sauce the lamb chops and garnish with the rosemary sprigs.