Raspberry Balsamic and Pecan Encrusted Rack of Lamb

I come from a Greek background, so lamb is always a holiday staple at our family's dinner table. And because of this, I particularly love making lamb since it always reminds me of having meals at home with my family. It also helps that lamb tastes amazing pretty much anyway you season it. But there are some flavors that enhance the flavors of the meat more than others, and the Devo raspberry balsamic and freshly diced rosemary make quite the pairing with a rack of lamb. The raspberry balsamic has that traditional bitter tang, the one that comes with quality aged vinegar, but there's a sweet aftertaste that comes with the raspberries that I just absolutely love. This sweetness pairs perfectly with the rosemary, and the tanginess seeps into the lamb and makes it melt in your mouth. I also encrusted it with pecans because I love having a crunchy, nutty texture on the outside of racks of lamb. It just makes the meat feel that much more tender! The best part about this recipe, aside from how tasty it is, is how simple it is to make while looking pretty fancy. It's a good holiday main course for people who don't have a lot of time to prepare the food. The marinade can be prepared in the evening the day before, the lamb can soak in it overnight, and then it can be tossed into the oven for 40 minutes the next day.

Ingredients:

2 Racks French-Cut Lamb, about 8 bones per rack

1/3 Cup Crushed Pecans
1/4 Cup Devo Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped

1 Teaspoon Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Trim the excess fat from the lamb. In a large plastic bag, mix together the vinegar, olive oil, and rosemary. Add the racks of lamb and allow them to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove the lambs from the bag and rub them down with the salt and pepper. Then roll them in the crushed pecans. If they are having a hard time sticking, put some more of the marinade on them to give the pecans something to cling to. Place the racks of lab in a roasting pan and cover the tips of the bones in tin foil so that they do not char while cooking.

Cook for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 400 and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the lamb has an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve immediately.