Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb

Remove the racks from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking so they come fully to room temperature.

Pat the racks completely dry with paper towels, then season all surfaces, including the bones, generously with the sea salt and black pepper.

Pulse the sourdough bread in a food processor until it forms coarse crumbs, about 3-4mm in size.

Finely mince the garlic, shallot, parsley, tarragon, thyme, and rosemary.

Combine the Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, minced anchovy, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth.

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat until foaming. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add the breadcrumbs and stir constantly until golden and nutty-smelling, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Stir the chopped herbs and olive oil into the cooled breadcrumb mixture until evenly combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/425°F) with a rack in the upper-middle position. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat until smoking, add the neutral oil, then sear the racks fat-side down for 3 minutes until deeply golden-brown.

Turn and sear the meaty underside for 2 minutes, then hold each rack upright with tongs and sear the bone-side ends for 1 minute each. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking tray and let rest for 5 minutes until no longer steaming.

Brush the fat-cap and meaty surfaces of each rack generously with the mustard mixture, leaving the bones uncoated, then press the herb breadcrumb crust firmly onto the mustard-coated surfaces in an even layer about 5mm thick.

Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loin, away from the bone, reads 57°C (135°F) for medium-rare — about 12-15 minutes; check the temperature at 12 minutes to avoid overcooking.

Remove from the oven and rest uncovered on the wire rack for 10 minutes — do not tent with foil or the crust will steam and soften. Carryover cooking will bring the centre up to roughly 60°C (140°F) during the rest; this is medium-rare and the racks are ready to carve. If you prefer lamb cooked through, return it to the oven before resting and roast on to 63°C (145°F) rather than expecting the rest to take it there.

Carve between the bones into individual cutlets using a sharp carving knife, keeping the crust intact, and arrange on a warmed serving platter.