Crumb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with White Beans

Crumb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with White Beans
By: Rosanna adapted from Williams Sonoma

High in Protein- High in Fiber

For the White Beans:
2 cups (14oz) dried cannellini beans, soaked and drained*
1 whole clove
2 yellow onions, halved
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 rack of lamb, 8 ribs, or about 2lb, trimmed of any fat and bones “frenched” (ask the butcher to French the bones if the lamb isn’t already sold that way)
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ cup fresh white bread crumbs (about 2 slices), processed finely in food processor
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dry thyme
¼ teaspoon dry rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

*Soaked dried beans: Pick over the beans, discarding any misshapen beans or grit. Rinse the beans, put in a bowl, add water to cover about 3 inches and let soak overnight. Drain the beans.

Place the soaked, drained beans in a saucepan and add 4 cups water. Stick the clove into an onion half and add the onion halves, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until the beans are tender, 1 ½ hours. Drain the beans, reserving the liquid. Discard the bay leaf, both onion halves, and the clove.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the lamb, meaty side up, in a shallow 2 quart baking dish. Pour in ½ cup of the bean liquid. Roast the meat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and reduce the temp to 400 degrees.

Place the lamb on a cutting board. Cut into individual lamb chops. Spread the mustard over each chop. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Using your hands, press the bread crumbs into the mustard, covering the meat in an even layer. Measure out 4 cups of the cooked beans and arrange on the bottom of the baking dish to cover completely. (Reserve the remaining beans for another use.) Pour in 1 cup of the bean liquid. Set the lamb, crumb-coated side up, on the top of the beans.

Roast the lamb until the meat springs back to the touch or until a thermometer registers 170 for well done, about 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer the lamb to the cutting board, and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide the beans among warmed individual plates. Place 2 chops on each plate and serve at once.

Serves 4