Rack of Lamb with Coconut-Mint Sauce and Glazed Peas

• Recipe by Jeff Smith

The vibrant coconut milk-based sauce Smith serves with this simple roasted lamb is a great example of his homespun Mediterranean-Asian cuisine. Substituting brown sugar for white when glazing vegetables is a trick Smith discovered during a cooking experiment: "It adds a deeper kind of sweet note."

Ingredients

1. Two 1 1/2-pound racks of lamb (16 chops), frenched (see Note)
2. Salt and freshly ground pepper
3. Extra-virgin olive oil
4. 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
5. 1/4 cup mint leaves
6. Three 1/4-inch slices of fresh ginger
7. 2 garlic cloves
8. 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
9. 1 jalapeño, seeded
10. 1 tablespoon cilantro
11. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
12. 1 shallot, minced
13. 10 ounces frozen baby peas, thawed
14. 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Set the lamb racks in a medium roasting pan. Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 125° for medium-rare, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the coconut milk, mint leaves, ginger, garlic, lime juice, jalapeño and cilantro and puree until smooth. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the peas and brown sugar, season with salt and pepper and cook until the peas are lightly coated, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
4. Carve the lamb into chops and serve with the coconut-mint sauce and peas.

Make Ahead

The coconut-mint sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Notes

Have your butcher french the lamb by scraping the fat and gristle from the bones.