Rack of Lamb with Mint and Capers

Garlic and lemon invigorate the familiar pairing of succulent roasted rack of lamb and mint in an intense marinade that infuses the meat overnight. The fresh herb then makes an encore in a sauce with capers that's slathered generously on the lamb and served on the side.

Ingredients

FOR SERVING
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
FOR THE CAPER-MINT SAUCE
1/2 cup salt-packed capers, rinsed well
2 cups fresh mint
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
1/4 cup minced shallots (from 2 shallots)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE LAMB
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 racks of lamb (about 3 pounds), frenched
2 tablespoons safflower oil

Directions
Make the lamb: Whisk together garlic, mint, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Place lamb in a large resealable plastic bag; add marinade and refrigerate overnight.
Let lamb stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Remove lamb from marinade, brush off any garlic and mint, and pat dry with paper towels. Discard marinade. Season lamb with salt and pepper.
Heat safflower oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb; cook, flipping once, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven; cook 20 to 25 minutes for medium-rare.
Meanwhile, make the caper-mint sauce: Pulse capers in a food processor until roughly chopped. Add mint, lemon zest and juice, and shallots, and pulse until mint is roughly chopped. Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, pulsing until combined but still coarse. Transfer to a small bowl.
Transfer lamb to platter and coat racks with a third of the caper-mint sauce. Let rest for 20 minutes. Cut lamb into chops, single or double thickness; transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges and mint sprigs; serve with remaining sauce.