The whole house was flipped over and turned upside down because we just couldn’t find that pink umbrella she wanted to use. With a tear on top and some evident dents, the umbrella is at least three if not four years old and belonged to her sister at one point. Well, technically it still does but just like several other things that once belonged to her sister, she had claimed authority over this umbrella too. Not because of its bright neon color or the cute handle which although tiny but bends to make a curve, just the right size to fit her soft palm in. But because it was her sister’s and like everything that belongs to “didda”, a name she gave to her older sister, this umbrella is special only because its didda’s.
Not in the umbrella basket, neither in the garage, nor in the closet, under the bed, couch or dinning table. With a wrinkle on her forehead and worry on the face, she had put the whole house at work. Without shedding one single tear, something you would expect from a 2 year old, she kept looking for it like a persistent spider. Kept looking and looking until she finally found it. Rushed running to her didda, with pride on her face and prized umbrella in her hand. “I found it didda, look I found it!”, she announced with glee and in hopes of admiration. Held her didda’s pinky like she always does and commanded, “lets go”. Standing at my doorstep I watched them from behind. Holding hands, jumping through the puddles, trying to cover their heads under one pink umbrella. A sight every mother craves for.
They came back home half wet and with a fistful of carelessly plucked rosemary branches, handed them to me. Parked their rain boots and the pink umbrella at the doorstep and joined me in the kitchen where we smashed a few garlics, munched on more than a few pistachios and cooked a rack of lamb before their dad rang the doorbell. With the ring of that bell they plunged from the kitchen counter and ran screaming to the door,off to tell another tale.
Ingredients for Rosemary Garlic and Pistachio Crusted Rack Of Lamb : (Serves 3-4)
1 rack of lamb (approx. 1.5lbs)
4-5 rosemary sprigs (approx. 2 tablespoon rosemary leaves)
1 garlic cloves
1.4 cup shelled pistachio
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Method:
Coarsely grind rosemary, garlic and pistachio in a food processor or in a mortar and pestle. Add oil the mixture.
Season the lamb with Salt and pepper. Rub the herb crust on the rack of lamb. Wrap the rack of lamb with a cling wrap and let it sit the refrigerator for an hour or maximum overnight.
Wrap the rack of lamb, place it on a baking sheet, fat side up and cook it in the oven at 400 deg. F for 15-20 minutes on middle rack. Finish off by broiling for 5 minutes.
Pull the rack of lamb out of the oven and let it rest on a chopping block for 10 minutes, fat side up.
Carve the racks in between the rib bones and transfer to plates. I served them with these green beans and a warm saffron and cous cous salad.