Serves 4

Ingredients

1 whole rack of lamb with cleaned bones (8 chops, appx 4 #)
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
1 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
2 1/2 # fingerling potatoes
1 bunch of basil
Extra Viirgin Olive Oil
Soft Butter
Salt Pepper

Directions

Wrap the bones in aluminum foil. Season the rack of lamb with salt and pepper, then sear on all sides, in a pan over high heat to achieve a nice caramelized crust. Set aside to cool.

Wash potatoes and put in a pot with cold water to cover. Season the water liberally with salt, bring to a boil and simmer till the potatoes are cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool.

Wash, pick and tear the basil leaves.

Grind the dried porcini into a powder in a spice grinder or blender. Coarsely chop the pumpkin seeds and mix with the porcini powder. Spread the soft butter all over the sides of the lamb rack and then roll in the porcini-pumpkin seed mixture till well crusted.

In a saucepan heat some olive oil and add your whole fingerlings poatoes. Using a potato masher roughly crush your potatoes and stir to warm through.

Add basil, olive oiul, salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Finish cooking crusted rack in a 425 degree oven till the desired temperature. Remove from oven and allow to rest at least 8 minutes before carving and serving with the potatoes.