Whether lightly seasoned to let its rich, natural flavour shine through or kicked up a notch with a herby crust, European lamb is a versatile ingredient and a natural choice for Irish consumers. With a wide variety of cuts available, European lamb is perfect for a range of dishes and cooking methods and with Irish lamb among some of the best in the world, it’s worth getting adventurous with this locally-loved ingredient.

From mid-week meals that feel like treats to slow-cooked weekend roasts that are bound to turn heads, European lamb is an exciting addition to any dining table and the perfect ingredient for elevating your recipe repertoire.

This Rack of Lamb Recipe in Parsley Crust from #LambTryItLoveit is deceivingly simple to prepare and brings the ‘wow-factor’ to the dinner table with its pop of bright colour in the parsley crust and dramatic bone-in presentation.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

– 2 x 6 bone lamb racks (2 x 400g)
– 2 teaspoons olive oil
– Salt and pepper
– 4 tablespoon fresh breadcrumbs
– 2 cloves garlic, crushed
– Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
– 3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
– ½ teaspoon herbes de Provence

Method:

1. Take the lamb out of the fridge at least 30 minutes in advance. Season. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6, 200°C (400°F).
2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the racks, fat-side down and sear quickly on both sides until lightly browned. Leave until cool enough to handle.
3. Meanwhile, mix the breadcrumbs with the garlic and parsley. Mix the mustard with the herbes de Provence.
4. Smear the racks of lamb with the mustard mixture then press the breadcrumbs on firmly so that the meat is entirely covered.
5. Roast for 30-40 minutes, to suit your preference. The lamb with be medium at this stage. Remove from the oven. Cover with tinfoil and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice the racks between the bones and serve with sautéed spinach and gratin potatoes.

Tip: You can replace the parsley (all or part) with a choice of other fresh herbs: tarragon, basil, chives
or sage.

This feature was created for the ‘Lamb – Try It, Love It Campaign’, a new campaign launched in association with Bord Bia with co-funding from the EU. Visit www.facebook.com/TryLamb a tasty and fun destination for all things lamb.

THIS IS A SPONSORED POST IN CONJUNCTION WITH BORD BIA TO HELP PROMOTE #LAMBTRYITLOVEIT, A CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTING THE BENEFITS OF COOKING WITH EUROPEAN LAMB. FOR MORE RECIPE INSPIRATION, VISIT TRYLAMB.IE OR FOLLOW @TRYLAMB ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.