Mocha Mint Rack of Lamb
By: Carol - Statford, CT - 2016 Recipe Contest
"One sip of the Door County Coffee Mocha Mint flavored coffee, and I fell in love! I knew I had to try it with one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations: lamb and mint. The deep dark chocolate tones with the kiss of bright herbaceous mint of the Mocha Mint coffee are a perfect match for the strong flavor of the rack of lamb. Served over roasted potatoes and fresh green beans, this recipe makes 2-3 servings, based on the size of your rack of lamb. I also love this recipe as lamb “lollipops” as a party hors d’oeuvres. The Mocha Mint sauce is amazing on its own, and even better served alongside some whole grain mustard. Your guests will keep coming back for more (and you will too!)"
This is a Door County Coffee Fan recipe. It was not made in the kitchens of the Door County Coffee Café.
Ingredients
Featured ingredient: Mocha Mint Coffee 10 oz. Bag Ground
- 1 Rack of Lamb (about 1 ½ pounds)
- ½ Tablespoon fresh mint leaves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon Door County Coffee Mocha Mint, finely ground
- 1 cup Door County Coffee Mocha Mint, freshly brewed
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- ½ Tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ Tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- “French” the rack of lamb. This means scraping the meat and fat off of the rib bones for a more elegant presentation. You can purchase the rack of lamb already “frenched” from your butcher or local store. Remove any excess fat from the meat of the ribs, leaving approximately ⅛ inch of fat over the meat to keep it moist while cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- To make the rub mixture, in a medium sized bowl, whisk together the fresh mint, garlic, vegetable oil, salt, black pepper, and Door County Coffee Mocha Mint grounds.
- Place the rack of lamb on a sheet pan with the rib bones curving downward so the meat is on top. Pour the rib mixture over the rack of lamb and spread it to evenly coat the meat. Allow the rack of lamb to marinate at room temperature for thirty minutes.
- To make the sauce, boil the freshly brewed Door County Coffee Mocha Mint over medium heat to reduce by half. Season the sauce with the salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water, stirring until a smooth paste forms. Whisk the cornstarch “slurry” into the coffee sauce. The sauce will thicken and bubble. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
- Roast the lamb in the oven to your desired doneness (20 minutes for rare, 25 minutes for medium rare). Remove the rack of lamb from the oven. Loosely cover the rack of lamb with aluminum foil for ten minutes to rest. Cut the rack of lamb into individual ribs to serve. Enjoy!