Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 racks of lamb (7 to 8 ribs each), trimmed or “frenched”

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 450 °F.
2. In a small bowl, combine mustard, olive oil, garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and pepper flakes. Set aside.
3. If necessary, trim fat off racks so that only a thin layer remains. (Do not remove all of the fat.) Heat a cast iron or other heavy skillet over high heat. Season one rack with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, then place it in hot skillet, meat side down.
4. When surface is nicely browned, about 2 minutes, turn rack with tongs and brown bottom for another 2 minutes. Remove and repeat with second rack.
5. Using a pastry brush, brush mustard mixture onto meat. (The lamb may be prepared up to this pint and held up to an hour at room temperature or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.)
6. To roast, arrange racks, bone-side down, in a small roasting pan. (You may need to stand the racks up and interlock the bone ends to make them fit.) Wrap tips of bones with a strip of foil so they don’t burn.
7. Roast until an instant-read thermometer reads 120 to 125 °F for rare or 130 to 135 ° for medium-rare (the temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees out of the oven) 20 to 25 minutes (8 to 10 minutes longer if lamb was refrigerated before roasting). Remove lamb from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes. Carve into chops, cutting between bones, and serve.

Serves 6