Fancy something a little different for Easter this year? Then what about serving up a showstopping Spiced Rack of Lamb with Honey Roast Root Vegetables? Better still it can all be cooked in one tray and in under 1 hour, meaning you have more time to spend with your friends and family on Easter Day!
As I am sure you all know by now…I am mad about lamb!! I love it every which way, from the classics, such as Lamb Hotpot, Lamb Moussaka and Lamb Bhuna, to the slightly more adventurous and unusual ideas, such as Thai Green Lamb Curry and Spicy Lamb Pizzas.
In my role as a Lambassador for the ‘LAMB. Tasty Easy Fun’ campaign this year I have mostly been showing how lamb doesn’t have to be saved for special occasions, but is quick and easy to prepare and can be enjoyed even on busy midweek evenings. You can find all my easy peasy lamb recipes here.
However…we all know that lamb makes an awesome showstopping roast dinner too! And so today I am sharing with you my Spiced Rack of Lamb with Honey Roast Root Vegetables.
This dish really is a show stopper and a half…beautiful racks of lamb coated in a simple spice rub and served with delicious honey roasted root vegetables. It would make a wonderful alternative to Sunday lunch and a magnificent meal to serve to guests for a dinner party…or what about serving this up at Easter or even on Christmas day?
In the UK we traditionally serve turkey on Christmas day…but there’s no rule to say we have to! This lamb dish has all the wow factor of a big old roast turkey (possibly more)…but a lot less of the stress. In fact the whole dish can be cooked in just 1 hour from start to finish!
If you really want to really up the wow factor, then serve the two racks of lamb at the table as a guard of honour – this is where the two racks are stood on their ends with the bones intertwined…serve this on top of the Honey Roasted Root Vegetables for a beautiful showstopping centrepiece.
If you prefer a more traditional turkey dinner on Christmas day, my Spiced Rack of Lamb would also work brilliantly as a special celebratory meal during the pre or post Christmas festivities or why not serve it on New Year’s Day? It would also make a fantastic alternative to the traditional leg of lamb on Easter Sunday too.
And of course this Spiced Rack of Lamb would also be brilliant all year round for Sunday lunch or any other special occasion!
If you like this recipe…
…you might also like:
- Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks with Red Wine Gravy
- Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder with Garlic and Rosemary
- Quick and Simple Roast Lamb and Gravy
- Easy Lamb Hotpot
- Leftover Lamb Ragu
Spiced Rack of Lamb with Honey Roasted Root Vegetables
Ingredients
Spiced Rack of Lamb
- 3 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
- 3 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons chilli flakes
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive or rapeseed oil
- 2 lamb racks 6 bone, French trimmed, approx. 400g each
- 3 tablespoons runny honey
Honey Roasted Root Vegetables
- 1.5 kg mixed root vegetables chopped into large chunks (I used parsnip, sweet potatoes, beetroot and carrots)
- 2 tablespoons olive or rapeseed oil
To Serve
- Green Vegetables or salad optional
Instructions
- Take the lamb out of the fridge 20-30 mins before starting to make this recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 220C / 200C / gas mark 7 / 425F.
- Grind the cumin and coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar and add the chilli, cinnamon, salt and pepper, followed by 3 tablespoons of oil. Mix together thoroughly.
- Use half of this spice paste to coat the lamb racks. Smear the paste all over every surface of the lamb and set aside.
- Add the honey to the remaining half of the spice paste. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
- Cut the vegetables into large chunks and place in a large roasting tray. Drizzle over the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and turn the vegetables to coat evenly in the oil. Place the vegetables in the preheated oven for 15 minutes (see note).
- Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and sear the lamb on all sides – about 1 minute each side, but 2 minutes on the fatty side.
- Remove the roasting tray from the oven and place the seared lamb racks on top of the vegetables, fatty side up.
- Roast the lamb for 25-30 mins for medium, 35-40 mins for well done.
- Remove the lamb from the oven and put on a board to rest.
- Add the reserved honey and spice paste mixture to the vegetables and stir to coat the vegetables. Put the vegetables back in the oven for a further 10 minutes, while the lamb rests.
- Carve the lamb and arrange on top of the vegetables, drizzled with a little of the honey glaze from the bottom of the tin.
- Alternatively serve the lamb as a guard of honour on top the vegetables, to make a beautiful centrepiece, and carve at the table.
- Serve the dish just as it is or with green vegetables or a salad.
Notes
This is a collaborative post with the ‘LAMB. Tasty Easy Fun’ campaign. ‘LAMB. Tasty Easy Fun’ is an EU funded campaign which aims to increase the use of lamb in everyday cooking. Lamb is often considered difficult to cook, expensive, or something to be saved for Sunday roasts. The aim of the campaign is to demonstrate just how tasty, easy and fun lamb is to cook with every day of the week!
Get More Easy & Delicious Lamb Recipes here…
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Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says
Lamb is probably my favourite meat and we have had it for Christmas dinner in the past…… This year I have been overruled in favour of Duck! I have to say….. I am impressed by your exceptionally clean bones! x
Eb Gargano says
It makes such a lovely Christmas meal doesn’t it? Feels like such a treat! Oh you can thank my lovely village butcher for the clean bones – didn’t he do such a lovely job for me? Eb x
Donna says
Perfect! I’m loving all of these lamb recipes! #CookBlogShare
Eb Gargano says
Haha – if you like lamb, you have DEFINITELY come to the right place…I have so many! Find them all here: https://www.easypeasyfoodie.com/tag/lamb/ Eb x
Sam www.whatseatingher.co.uk says
Beautiful, I can’t wait to try this one. Lamb is my absolute favourite for a roast dinner. I’m drooling over your pics. Yum. #BrilliantBlogPosts
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Sam! Lamb is one of my absolute favourites too – can you tell 😉 Would love to know how you get on if you try it 😀 Eb x
Honest Mum says
Love a rack of lamb, this looks incredible x
Eb Gargano says
Me too – it’s such a beautiful cut of lamb…so tender! Eb x
Midge @ Peachicks' Bakery says
Another Gorgeous recipe Eb! Hubby has put this on his winter roast wish list for the new year as one that needs to be made for him asap!! 🙂
Eb Gargano says
Haha – thanks Midge. So glad you and your hubby like it…would love to know how you get on if you make it 😀 Eb x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
Every time I read your lamb posts I go away realising that we simply do not have lamb enough! This looks amazing and a fantastic alternative to turkey around Christmas. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Eb Gargano says
I think you are not the only ones….it’s the meat that often gets forgotten about…until you have it and then think ‘why do I not have this more often?’ – because it tastes AMAZING!!! And I have been doing my level best this year to remind everyone of that fact!! Eb x