Berbere Crusted Rack of American Lamb
Chef Marcus Samuelsson
Spice up your ribs with a taste of Ethiopia.
Ingredients
- 2 American lamb racks, frenched
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tbs fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- Berbere Crust1 Tbs Berbere
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp egg yolk, beaten
- 1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
- 1-2 Tbs dry red wine
- Berbere Sauce2 Tbs Berbere
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 Tbs dry red wine
- 2 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions
- For the Rack of Lamb:Place olive oil, rosemary, and garlic in a re sealable bag, add the rack of lamb and seal. Refrigerate the bag for 8 hours, or overnight, making sure to turn the bag several times in order to achieve the maximum saturation.
- Remove the rack of lamb from the bag and discard the marinade, then place the rack of lamb in a dry, heavy, 12- inch pan and sauté over high heat until it is very hot. Reduce the temperature to medium-high and brown the lamb one rack at a time for 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the rack of lamb to a large roasting pan, fat side up, then coat the fatty side with the Berbere paste. Roast the lamb for approximately 18-20 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 135°F. Transfer the rack of lamb to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- For the Berbere Crust:Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, mix the Berbere, Dijon mustard. egg yolk, and bread crumbs, then add enough red wine to make a paste. Refrigerate the paste until needed to prepare the crust.
- For the Berbere Sauce:In a small saucepan over low heat, dry toast the 2 Tbs of Berbere for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the chicken stock and the red wine to the Berbere, then increase the heat and bring to a boil until it reduces to a sauce. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the butter slowly until incorporated.
- To assemble and serve, carve the rack of lamb into individual chops, and then fan the chops out from the center. Place a small amount of the Berbere sauce around the plate.
Berbere is a spice mixture that can be found at specialty food stores. Ingredients usually include chile peppers, ginger, cloves, coriander, and allspice. It is a key ingredient in the cuisines of Ethiopia.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 849
Calories from Fat 700 (82%)
(120%)Total Fat 78g
(152%)Saturated Fat 30g
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g
Monounsaturated Fat 35g
(57%)Cholesterol 170mg
(7%)Sodium 178mg
(12%)Potassium 433mg
Total Carbohydrate 4g
(1%)Dietary Fiber 0g
Sugars 0g
Sugar Alcohols 0g
(63%)Protein 32g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Nutrition facts are calculated by a food expert using nutritional values provided by the USDA for common products used as recipe ingredients. Actual nutritional values may differ depending on the amounts or products used and can be affected by cooking methods.
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The information presented here is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2025.