How can it be possible to cook a meal that is so simple and luxuriously delicious without resorting to tortuous techniques, multiple ingredients and the drama and mystique of complicated food?

My way is to start with the best quality ingredients. In this case all-natural USDA grass-fed lamb-- the standard at Olde Hudson.  Sweet and tender and delicate without antibiotics or hormones, these lambs are vegetarians grazing happily on grass and then grain-finished.

An 8-chop rack will serve two people but this recipe is easy to double for a bigger very lucky crowd. Pictured above, the fresh salad accompaniment highlights and contrasts the divine lamb.  Another suggestion?  You can add Caramelized French baby carrots.  My recipe is below.

Pre-heat oven to 450-degrees.

Place garlic, herbs, salt and pepper in a mortar and using the pestle pound to a paste.  Season the underside of the lamb with salt and pepper and rub the herb paste on the top, fatty, side of the rack. Cover and refrigerate until 1 hour before you cook.

Place in your roasting pan and roast for eight minutes.  Turn oven down to 350-degrees and continue to roast for 20 minutes or until your fast-read thermometer hits 125-degrees for rare or 130 for medium.  Let the rack rest for a few minutes before you carve-- after all the oohs and aahs subside--along the ribs.

Pictured above I’ve served the lamb  with fresh picked mixed greens, thinly sliced red onion,  heirloom tomatoes and a simple dressing of La Castellina Olive Oil, Unio Muscatel Vinegar, Sel Magique's Herbs de Provence and crushed Pink Peppercorns. This dish can be wonderfully enhanced with the Caramalized French Baby Carrots recipe below.

Caramelized French Baby Carrots-- a perfect partner!

Heat oil and butter in a sauté pan over low heat and add sliced shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook the shallots for two minutes until they soften add carrots and a pinch of sugar and continue to cook until carrots start to soften.

Add 1/4 cup water, reduce and stir occasionally until the carrots are slightly caramelized. Add the Olivewood Balsamic Vinegar, Lavender Honey, salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook until all the ingredients are well blended and the carrots are cooked to desired tenderness.

These ingredients can be found at Olde Hudson