Rack of lamb with braised tomatoes and zucchini strips

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 840 g rack of lamb
• 5 sprigs rosemary
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 10 peppercorns, colored
• 4 allspice berries
• 3 juniper berries
• 6 garlic cloves
• 20 small vine tomatoes
• 2 zucchini, preferably straight
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 50 minutes

Getting a rack of lamb, the front of the back with the rib bones, ready to cook isn’t easy in medium-sized cities in northwestern Germany. Most butchers don’t stock it; if they do, it’s frozen and not prepared for immediate cooking. For me, “ready to cook” means the rib bones are exposed and the backbone bone is completely removed, so that the meat between the individual rib bones can be easily cut into chops. I showed this to my butcher using photos and explained to him how I envisioned it from a chef’s perspective. This rack is now part of his standard range, so every salesperson knows what it should look like when I order it. The outer fat is carefully removed with a knife, ideally the day before or at least a few hours before cooking, taking care not to damage or cut away the lean meat. This makes the rack leaner, and in my case, it still weighed 780g. To flavor it, I grind the pepper mixture with allspice berries and juniper berries in a mortar and pestle, then mix it with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a crushed garlic clove. Brush the loin with the marinade, garnish with rosemary and thyme sprigs, wrap in foil, and let it rest in the refrigerator. About 2 hours before cooking, the meat should be taken out of the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 80°C (175°F). Heat olive oil in a pan, season with crushed garlic cloves, rosemary, and thyme sprigs, and sear the loin for about 5 minutes on all sides. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut four thin, wide strips around the zucchini, discarding the white core. Cut the strips into thirds or quarters again, blanch in boiling water for one minute, drain through a sieve, refresh in ice-cold water, and dry with kitchen paper. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, add the tomatoes, toss to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Leave five tomatoes on the vine if possible. Wash and dry with kitchen paper. Place them in a saucepan with a crushed garlic clove. Pour 4 tablespoons of olive oil over them and simmer in a covered pan over low heat for about 15 minutes. Serve with baked potatoes or fried potato quarters. The tomato-olive oil mixture serves as a sauce, seasoned with salt and pepper.