Sous Vide Lamb Rack and Fregola-Stuffed Acorn Squash with Harissa Glaze
Cook Time
2 1/2 hours
Yield
4
RECIPE Ingredients
Lamb:
- 1 each 1.8 lb lamb rack
- Salt, to taste
- Olive oil, for searing
- 2 acorn squash
- Honey, for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt, to taste
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 4 oz fregola sarda
- 3 quarts salted water
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- Juice of 2 lemons (plus additional for seasoning)
- Fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (about 6 leaves)
- Fresh mint leaves, chiffonade (about 4 leaves)
- Salt, to taste
- ½ cup harissa
- ⅛ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Price
$64.99
- 100% grass-fed
- Humanely raised on spacious pastures
- No antibiotics or hormones from birth
- Certified Halal
- Healthy source of lean protein, minerals and B vitamins
- Delicious, sweet, tender meat
- One 8-rib rack may serve up to 4
- Frenched and cap off
- Ships in an uncooked state
- Product of Australia
- For best taste on fresh products, use or freeze within 3-5 days of receipt; for frozen products, use within 1-2 days after thawing
- Subscription Eligible
Price
$10.99
- 100% grass-fed
- Humanely raised on spacious pastures
- No added antibiotics or hormones from birth
- Certified Halal
- 85/15 blend of lamb leg and belly
- Healthy source of lean protein, minerals and B vitamins
- Ships in an uncooked state
- Product of Australia
- For best taste on fresh products, use or freeze within 3-5 days of receipt; for frozen products, use within 1-2 days after thawing
- Subscription Eligible
Recipe notes
This dish is a symphony of Mediterranean flavors, with hearty lamb at the center. We used fregola, a beautiful Sardinian durum wheat pasta that’s rolled into pearls, then sun dried and toasted to a golden color. It’s the perfect pairing with roasted acorn squash accented with honey, olive oil, smoked paprika and tangy harissa. If you don’t have a sous vide, just roast the rack of lamb and slice into double chops.
RECIPE Preparation
- Season the lamb rack generously with salt and place it in a vacuum-seal bag. Seal the bag using a vacuum sealer.
- Preheat sous vide water bath to 135°F. Submerge the lamb in the sealed bag in the water and cook for 1½ hours.
- While the lamb is cooking, preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.
- Drizzle the cut sides with honey, sprinkle with smoked paprika and salt, and drizzle with olive oil. Place the squash cut side up on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender and softened.
- In a large saucepot, bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the fregola sarda and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Strain and set aside.
- To make the harissa glaze, combine the harissa, honey, minced garlic, juice of 2 lemons, olive oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, sherry vinegar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
- For the lamb filling, heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground lamb, and brown until cooked through. Halfway through cooking, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook until the onion is tender and the lamb is browned.
- Stir in about half of the harissa glaze and mix well. For a more intense spice level, feel free to add more of the harissa glaze. Add additional lemon juice to taste, then fold in the cooked fregola, basil, and mint. Season with salt as needed.
- Once the sous vide cooking is complete, remove the lamb from the bag and pat it dry with paper towels. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Sear the lamb rack on the fat side first, then the bottom and all sides until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes per side).
- To assemble the dish, cut the lamb rack into 4 double chops. Fill each half of the roasted acorn squash with the fregola lamb stuffing. Plate one double chop next to each stuffed squash half and drizzle with the remaining harissa glaze.
- For a complete meal, pair with quickly sautéed Tuscan kale.
