Designer roast, off the rack

Lamb Rack with Shallots

For size and style, a rack of lamb stands alone. It’s petite, it cooks fast, and it commands attention when ready to carve. All said, rack of lamb is perfect as the entrée for two or three, especially if the occasion is a tad festive.

Whole shallots, sweetly cooked, go especially well with the meat. And now that they are cultivated on a large scale in Walla Walla, Washington, shallots are a better buy than once upon a time. I find them delicious as a vegetable or for seasoning.

To enrich the dish even more, cook a few morel mushrooms with the shallots. Dried morels are always available, but this time of year fresh morels might be, too, if weather conditions permit. Both require careful cleaning to get rid of the dirt and grit that love to lodge in their spongy-looking caps.

Racks vary in size, so order by weight and you’ll get six to eight ribs.