This article appears in the Spring 2026 issue
Spring Rack of Lamb With
Minted Strawberry Sauce
When we think of spring and “What’s for Dinner,” we often think of lamb. This has endured for centuries. Sheep were believed to have been brought to the Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492 for wool and food.
The rack of lamb is an ancient dish linked to religious rituals, including Passover and Easter, as a celebratory dish. The term rack of lamb came from the 14th century meaning “framework” which describes how the meat was butchered, especially by the French. The ends of the bones are stripped of meat and fat making for an elegant preparation and elevating the dish from a simple rural food to a luxury food.
Unfortunately, rising prices and length of preparation in the kitchen have limited the number of restaurants offering this treat. So, treat yourself and prepare it at home. There are very simple variations. The most popular is herb-crusted rack of lamb. But since it’s spring and the local strawberries and mint are in season in New England, let’s serve the lamb with a strawberry-mint sauce. Both mint and strawberries are indigenous to New England. Prepare the sauce while the lamb is roasting. Suggested accompaniments are mashed potatoes or parsnips and fresh snap peas sautéed in butter and mint.
Ingredients
1 rack of lamb (7–8 ribs) for 2–3 servings. Have your butcher french the rack. It should weigh about 1½ pounds after that is done.
Marinade
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped mint
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Strawberry-Mint Sauce
1 cup fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 fresh mint leaves
Mix the marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag large enough to hold the lamb. Place the rack in the marinade for 1 hour or overnight.
Allow the lamb to come to room temperature before cooking, about an hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F).
Remove lamb from marinade. Score the fat on the lamb and wrap cleaned bones with foil to prevent burning.
Set the roast on a parchment- or aluminum-lined baking sheet, rack side up. Rub additional marinade on lamb.
Roast at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and cook for 10 to 20 minutes more depending on thickness.
While the lamb is roasting, in a small saucepan combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
The lamb is done when the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees for rosy rare; 130 degrees for medium rare, pink; 140 degrees for medium, pinky-grey. Allow to rest 10 minutes.
Cut the rack between the ribs and lay them across a bed of mashed potatoes or parsnips, crossing the bones, 2–3 per serving depending on their size.
Strain the sauce and drizzle over lamb. Serve with fresh snap peas sautéed in butter and mint. Bon appetite!
Melody Tierney is an avid foodie and enjoys sharing her passion with others. A former bed and breakfast owner in Southampton, New York, she and her husband, Phil, were featured as an Inn of the Month in Travel and Leisure magazine.
