Tonight we really wanted lamb lollipop chops (the ones that have a long handle, like a lollipop) so we decided to make a classic rack of lamb (with salad and couscous on the side)

Although it takes a little planning, the actual recipe and cooking for a rack of lamb is very simple.  First buy your racks of lamb.  We bought two racks, each about 8 chops, and that was plenty for our family of four.  Then you prepare a simple marinade.  Ours was just chopped garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil.  If you had fresh rosemary or thyme that would be a good addition too.  You salt & pepper the lamb, rub the chopped garlic (and herbs if you have them) into the lamb and then put the lamb in a ziplock bag with olive oil (and squeeze as much air as you can out of them.)

You let the lamb sit in the marinade (in the plastic bag) for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours at room temperature.  You want the lamb to come to room temperature BEFORE you cook it.  Then you score the fat side of the lamb and put it fat side down on aluminum foil.  We wrapped the bone handles in foil too, so they wouldn’t burn. You cook the lamb for 10 minutes at 450 degrees, before lowering the heat to 300 degrees for another 10-15 minutes.  (Check temperature with a meat thermometer: we cooked it to 135 degrees for medium rare.)  Let sit for at least 10 minutes and then cut the lamb chops away from the rack.

We also made couscous and a frisee salad (with pancetta, walnuts, goat cheese, and fried egg).  For the salad we sauteed the pancetta until crisp and then when the pancetta was done, we removed it from the pan and fried eggs in the left over pancetta oil.  We also toasted some croutons with goat cheese on top.  When everything was done we tossed the pancetta and walnuts with the frisee, put the two eggs on top and then arranged the goat cheese croutons around the top.

Everything was delicious!