Garlic Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb

For Valentines day we decided to have a quiet but special night at home. I decided to make something that I really love, but have never prepared myself before. I found a beautiful cut of lamb and couldn't resist this relatively easy but fancy dinner.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt

2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 c Dijon mustard

1 1/2 c panko breadcrumbs

1 rack of lamb, "frenched"

(*** Cooks note: "Frenching" refers to scraping the meat off the tips of the bones. There should also be about 1/8th of an inch of fat on your lamb. ***)

Heat oven to 425*F.

Heat oil in a skillet, over med-high heat, until almost smoking. Season both sides of the lamb with salt and place fat side down onto the skillet. Sear the meat until brown. Turn the rack, rib side down and sear the other side. Continue browning all sides of the meat. Remove from pan and set aside.

In the same skillet, sauté garlic cloves with rosemary leaves for about 1 minute. Add breadcrumbs and turn heat down to low, stirring constantly to toast. Remove from heat when lightly toasted.

Distribute crumbs onto a plate for application to the rack. Spread the Dijon mustard on both sides of the lamb. Press the lamb into the crumb mixture and flip, making sure to create a crust on all sides of the meat. Place on foil covered roasting pan, rib side down, and roast in oven about 40-50 minutes, or until meat reached 160* F for medium doneness. (Cook to your desired preference).

Slice rack of lamb into individual chops and serve immediately.