Savory lamb is packed with L-carnitine, a nutrient the body (especially the heart) needs to make ATP, or energy, molecules. Marinating lamb with fresh garlic and rosemary makes it even heart-healthier and cancer protective to boot. Perfect for a holiday meal, this hearty protein dish pairs well with Chickpea Salad and Greek Spinach.
*Choose organic produce whenever possible*
- Rack of organic or New Zealand (pasture-fed) lamb
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of organic olive oil
- A few healthy sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
- Sea salt
- Pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, choppe
Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop the rosemary and garlic and set 1 tbsp of each aside in a bowl. Trim as much fat as possible off of the lamb, and then knead the chopped garlic and rosemary into the lamb. Drizzle 1 to 2 tbsp of olive oil over the lamb and continue to “massage” the garlic-rosemary marinade into it for another minute or two. Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground pepper, and bake the lamb for 30 to 40 minutes.
Note: 30-40 minutes is a guideline: you may want to use a meat thermometer and periodically check for doneness to accommodate individual tastes as well as variations between ovens: 140°F (rare) to 160°F (well-done).
*Health tip: While many chefs suggest cooking rack of lamb at higher temperatures (i.e. between 400 and 450 degrees) for a lesser amount of time, Dr. Sinatra advises cooking lamb for a longer period of time at a lower temperature for health reasons. When meats are fried, broiled or grilled at high temperatures, carcinogenic substances called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) can form. While rosemary contains compounds that help destroy HCAs, Dr. Sinatra feels that it’s a better preventative strategy to limit the amount of HCAs produced in the first place.
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