From Culinary Class Wars · 2024-2024 · Reconstructed
Pistachio-Crusted Lamb Rack with Barolo Sauce
Serve when
Serve the moment the rack is sliced between the bones to reveal a rosy, evenly-pink center under the pistachio crust.
In the series
Season 1
- S1E12 · ~00:40:00 Black Spoon "Napoli Matfia," revealed as chef Kwon Seong-joon, plates a Piedmontese-style pistachio-crusted lamb rack with Barolo wine sauce, mushrooms, and a beet-lamb-heart ravioli as his winning final dish
In the series
The final round asks for one dish that sums up a chef's whole point of view, and this one answers with pure, disciplined Italian technique — a classic Piedmontese pairing of lamb, pistachio, and Barolo, executed precisely enough to beat every other finalist's dish and take the whole competition.
Ingredients
- For the lamb:
- For the Barolo sauce:
Method
- Season the lamb rack and sear it in the olive oil, fat-side down first, until deeply browned all over.
- Brush the fat side with Dijon mustard, then press the ground pistachios mixed with breadcrumbs firmly onto the mustard so it forms an even crust.
- Roast at 400 F until the crust is set and golden and the internal temperature reads about 130 F for medium-rare, roughly 15 to 18 minutes. Rest before carving.
- Meanwhile, sauté the shallot, deglaze with the Barolo, and reduce by half.
- Add the stock and reduce again until glossy and coating, then swirl in the butter and fold in the sautéed mushrooms.
- Slice the rack between the bones and serve fanned over the sauce.
Substitutions
- Barolo: any dry, full-bodied red Piedmontese or Nebbiolo-style wine works if Barolo itself isn't available.
- Beet-lamb-heart ravioli: an ambitious, offal-forward pairing on the original plate — a simpler roasted beet salad alongside makes an honest, sourceable substitute for a home cook who isn't working with lamb heart.