Valentine’s Day Recipe: Pistachio Crusted Lamb

Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb, Roasted Beet Hummus, Beet and Pistachio Salad

“To me, lamb is best meat for a romantic dinner. It’s not the easiest to cook, but when its right, there’s nothing like it. I find lamb plays really well with fresh Mediterranean flavors. This dish is light, bright and fun! The beet hummus is lovely and pink so it’s a wonderful dish for Valentine’s Day.” – Chef Jeff Seizer

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1-4 bone racks of Colorado or New Zealand lamb (larger racks are better)
  • 2 large beets
  • 1 can of cooked chickpeas
  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 lemons
  • 1 lb roasted salted shelled pistachios
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 scallion
  • 1 large cucumber
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

For the lamb:

  1. Dry off the rack of lamb with a towel, mix 1 teaspoon of cumin and 1 teaspoon of coriander with the Dijon.
  2. Salt and pepper the lamb, then evenly spread the mustard over the rack.
  3. In a Cuisinart Food Processor, roughly chop the pistachios (reserve half for the salad) and cover the lamb with the crushed pistachios
  4. Place on a cooking rack and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until desired doneness.

For the hummus:

  1. Roast the beets (with skin) until tender in a covered pan. At 325 degrees, it should take about an hour.
  2. Once tender, cool and peel. Reserve 1 beet for the salad.
  3. In a Cuisinart, add the drained chickpeas, 1 roasted beet, start to process, then add the remaining spice, juice of 1 lemon, garlic, salt and extra virgin olive oil. Blend until extremely smooth. Finish by adding the tahini.

For the salad:

Dice 1 beet, chop the scallions, peel and slice the cucumber. Add the yogurt and the juice of 1 lemon, a splash of olive oil and salt to taste. Mix with the remaining pistachios.

For plating:

Using a large spoon, make a nice well of the beet hummus, put the salad in the center. Once the lamb is cooked and rested, cut into two racks and place on top of the salad. Finish plate with a splash of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.