Pecan Crusted Rack of Lamb

This recipe, Paleo Pecan Crusted Rack of Lamb, is even better than it looks.  And I think it looks pretty friggin’ amazing, if I do say so myself!  You’ve still got time to make this the most amazing meal of 2014!  I’m deadly serious.

I think I say this every month, but can you believe it’s November??  To me, November is the beginning of the end of the year. I’m only just getting used to using writing 2014 and now it’s about to change again.

Being as it is the end of the year, now is the time that I start looking back and taking stock. How’d I do? Still no 6-pack. Didn’t do any big traveling overseas. But I did have a lot of killer experiences. Met some great people, ate some amazing food, and started a paleo recipe blog! All-in-all I think it went fairly well despite many challenges and quite a few losses (that cancer s**t is way too common).

Last November I had a hard time seeing 2013 as a win. But by the end of the month, almost as soon as the words “this year was a waste and a fail” came out of my mouth, I realized that was an outright lie. I’d had high hopes for 2013 and was excited about the accomplishments I’d planned for myself, physically, professionally, and personally. I didn’t accomplish a single thing on that list. But that’s ok because life brought me so many big changes. Changes that put me on a whole new course and have allowed me to learn more about what makes me excited (if you’ve read ANY of my posts, I think it’s pretty obvious that healthy delicious food is pretty central to all of this).

Experiencing the lows really make you appreciate the highs. And I’ve tried to be aware of and embrace the opportunities that come with each challenge and obstacle. I’ve watched quite a few TED Talks that have helped me see that people often accomplish the most amazing things after facing extreme adversity that could easily cause most people to give up completely. Take for example this one about Amy Purdy (you may recognize her from Dancing with the Stars – I may have shared this video before, but it has had such a huge impact on my outlook on life that I think you should watch it again anyway):

So what’s next? Plans. Hopes. Dreams. It’s time to get excited about another new year full of potential! It might not (probably won’t) turn out anything like what I envision. But that’s OK! Here’s a line that has come up a lot for me recently:

I am where I’m supposed to be.

That’s a pretty powerful concept, and can be hard to accept sometimes (and gives me shivers and/or watery eyes each time I read or say it).  This was said to me in another way as well: “All of the decisions that I’ve ever made were right. They’ve led me here”.  No regrets from the past. Regret is not useful in any way, and is only counterproductive.

When you do your year-in-review, be gentle with yourself.  Be loving.  And here’s something that might be helpful to you during this time: today is Day 1 of the Chopra Center’s 21-Day Meditation Experience “Energy of Attraction: Manifesting Your Best Life”.  They’re guided meditations, so you don’t need any experience in meditating to take advantage of this (it’s also FREE).

So here I am, wrapping up another year, that evolved into something that I NEVER, EVER could have imagined. And as a result, I’m here, talking to you. And sharing some of my food-love with you. Today it comes in the form of Paleo Pecan Crusted Rack of Lamb. E-hug!

I know that was a lot of photos, but seriously, look how beautiful that Pecan Crusted Rack of Lamb is!!!  Try it with Candied Maple Pecan Yams.

Paleo Pecan Crusted Rack of Lamb

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• Author: Raj - www.ThePrimalDesire.com
• Yield: 2-3 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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• 1 rack of lamb (I used a pre-marinated garlic and rosemary rack; if using an unseasoned rack, add an extra clove of finely chopped garlic, and 1 tsp dried rosemary)
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1/2 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 cup pecans (coarsely ground)
• 1–2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• zest of 1 lime
• salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Remove lamb from refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature (1-2 hrs).
2. Preheat oven to 400F.
3. Score the fat with a sharp knife and rub in salt and pepper.
4. Bake on a roasting tray for 10 minutes then remove from oven.
5. In the meantime, saute onions in ghee over medium heat in a small frying pan.
6. When onions are soft add garlic, pecans, and zest (and rosemary if adding) and stir well.
7. Cover lamb in mustard, then coat in pecan mix (easiest to use your hands – careful: it’s hot).
8. Return to oven on roasting tray for 20-30 minutes – use a meat thermometer (remove just prior to desired doneness – it will continue to cook).
9. Let meat rest a few minutes before cutting between ribs into individual cutlets.

• Method: Oven