Rack of lamb with a hint of green
A rack of lamb (with a hint of green!) along with satin cheesecake will bring out the Irish in you
Although St. Patrick’s Day is not an official holiday, many Canadians enjoy partaking in the festivities, perhaps hoping that a bit of the luck o’ the Irish will rub off on them.
If green beer and Shamrock Shakes aren’t quite your thing, here are a couple of recipes that will tantalize your tastebuds.
Lamb is a traditional meat in Irish cuisine; our version with a refreshing mint sauce is a classic combination and adds a touch of green to boot.
The mint sauce can be easily prepared ahead of time, while the lamb recipe itself can be easily scaled up or down, making it an excellent recipe for entertaining.
It may not be a traditional dessert, but we doubt anyone will complain about our Irish cheesecake. A light and tangy sour cream topping cuts through the rich cream cheese and cream liqueur. Calgary-based ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen has been providing advice on food, cooking, recipes and other household topics for more than 80 years. Their cookbooks include Everyday Delicious and From the Grill.
RACK OF LAMB WITH MINT SAUCE
Serves: 6-8 3 racks of lamb (8 ribs each) 3 tbsp (45 ml) Dijon mustard 2 cups (500 ml) fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup (80 ml) chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground pepper
Mint sauce (see recipe)
1. Spread meaty portion of lamb evenly with mustard. Combine crumbs, mint, salt and pepper. Press crumb mixture onto mustard.
2. Place lamb, crumb side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Roast at 450 F (230 C) for 10 minutes.
3. Reduce temperature to 350 F (175 C) and continue roasting for 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 140 F (60 C). Let stand 5 minutes before carving. Serve with mint sauce.
MINT SAUCE
10 oz (285 ml) beef broth
1 cup (250 ml) chopped fresh mint 1/3 cup (80 ml) chopped onion 1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar 2 tbsp (30 ml) brandy
1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
1/4 tsp (1 ml) freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped fresh mint
1. Combine first 7 ingredients (broth through pepper) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Simmer 2 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve. Sauce may be prepared to this point and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
3. In a saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in a small amount of cold mint sauce. Whisk in remaining sauce.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) mint. Serve warm.