Recently I was browsing through my first book, "The Cuisine of California," and came across a recipe that I fondly remember.

I grew up in Los Angeles, a block away from Trader Vic's. This restaurant was like no other -- dark and daring with tropical drink concoctions adorned with umbrellas being served along with plates of barbecued spare ribs and crab rangoon to munch on -- and this lamb dish was oh-so memorable. Trader Vic's is gone, but you can still enjoy this signature dish.

This rack of lamb with peanut sauce is as current today as when it was served at Trader Vic's decades ago. The marinade has a zesty mix of citrus, curry powder, wine, honey and herbs. The accompanying peanut sauce, tinged with hot pepper oil and cilantro, gives the dish a complex, tangy taste that brings all the flavors together.

Today lamb is available year-round, with New Zealand and Australia supplying our markets for much of the year. Costco has good-quality New Zealand racks of lamb at a reasonable rate. Lamb must be sold before it is a year old, or it cannot be called lamb. Remember that most American sheep are grain-fed rather than free-range fed, so that the flavor will be milder than New Zealand or Australian lamb.

Make sure to have the butcher "French" the bones as in the photo. "Frenching" is a technique in which meat is cut away from the top of a rib to expose part of the bone. This is an eye-catching, beautiful presentation. Serve this with grilled vegetables, vegetable couscous, or sauteed cherry tomatoes add a pop of color. To drink? Accompany this with a full-bodied zinfandel, Rhone-style red or a merlot to stand up to the big flavors in this dish.

Marinated Roast Rack of Lamb with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Serves 4

2 medium racks of lamb (2 1/2 pounds each), chine bone removed

For the marinade:

1 medium clove garlic, minced

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