Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Cucumber Yogurt
Recipe courtesy of Nick Ritchie, Signature Kitchen Suite
Ingredients
Lamb
(2) 4-bone lamb racks (can substitute 8 chops)
2 sprigs of thyme
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Yogurt Sauce
1 cucumber, peeled and grated or finely chopped
¾ cup greek yogurt
2 lemons, juiced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped mint
½ Tbsp. freshly chopped dill
½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. salt
To finish
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. Korean chili paste (or other preferred chili paste)
1 Tbsp. butter (optional)
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Method
Preheat SKS sous vide bath to 133 degrees. Season the lamb with salt and pepper, wrap the bones in plastic wrap or aluminum foil so they do not pop the bag when sealed. Pack lamb into a sous vide pouch with the thyme and seal. Cook in the sous vide bath for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. Remove lamb and allow to rest 5-10 minutes before removing from the pouch.
Make sauce: In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients except for the cucumber and whisk together. Fold in the cucumber, taste for seasoning and reserve chilled.
Finish lamb and serve: Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Remove lamb from pouch, reserving any cooking juices from the pouch. Pat very dry and sear lamb on each side for 60 seconds each side. Sear twice on the fat side to make sure all the fat is rendered and well browned. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add honey, chili paste and reserved cooking juices from the pouch to the pan, stir to combine and create a glaze, if using the butter stir it into the glaze now. Turn the lamb in the pan and baste with the glaze to coat. Remove from heat. Rest lamb for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Serve: Slice between the bones and serve 2 chops set atop approx. 2 ounces of the cucumber yogurt, a good drizzle of the pan glaze and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds.