Weekend Recipe: Sabrina Ghayour’s Spiced Rack of Lamb with Pomegranate Sauce

When I was younger, I perceived rack of lamb to be the height of sophistication and considered it best left for eating in fancy restaurants. I never knew just how easy and quick it was to prepare it at home, and now it is something we eat regularly. The pomegranate sauce is a great match for the spicing on the lamb and makes every bite absolutely flavour packed.

Serves 4

2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp turmeric
pinch of ground nutmeg
2 racks of lamb, French trimmed
sea salt

For the Pomegranate Sauce
4 tbsp pomegranate molasses
100ml (3½fl oz) pomegranate juice
1 tbsp clear honey
2 tbsp syrupy balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6. Put the cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a large, dry heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat and toast the seeds, shaking the pan now and then, until they release an aroma, then grind with a pestle and mortar.

Combine the olive oil with all the dry spices in a small bowl until they form a paste, then rub the paste all over the racks of lamb, including some on the undersides. Put the pan back on the heat and sear the lamb on all exposed sides until each side becomes lightly browned, which should take no more than a couple of minutes per side.

Transfer the racks of lamb to a roasting dish and season the lamb all over with sea salt. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, then remove, cover the dish with kitchen foil and allow the lamb to rest for 6–8 minutes.

While the lamb is resting, make the pomegranate sauce. Pour the cooking juices from the roasting dish into the frying pan in which you seared the lamb along with the pomegranate molasses, pomegranate juice, honey and balsamic vinegar and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Cook until the sauce is glossy and even.

Using a sharp knife, slice through the rack of lamb in between the bones and serve the cutlets immediately, with the pomegranate sauce drizzled over.

Recipe taken from Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour, available here