Karen and I wish everyone a very merry and happy holiday season. This is the time of year to reconnect with all family and extended family members.
The recipe for a rack of lamb was inspired by a visit to Costco. Karen and I were shopping and the wine manager (unfortunately I didn't get his name) asked me for some tips on cooking a rack of lamb with a natural red wine reduction. I gave him some tips and I thought what a great idea for the Christmas dinner menu.
Although the herds in Nevada are diminished we still have a lively group of Basques who still raise substantial amounts of lambs throughout the Northern Nevada area and the Borda family still raises a nice size herd in the surrounding areas of Carson City. You might see these lambs eating the cheat grass in the surrounding foothills to help prevent a repeat of the Waterfall fire.
When selecting a rack of lamb there are some things you should know first. Lamb is the perfect meat; it grazes on natural grains and grass. They also don't react well to growth hormones or antibiotics; therefore, they are naturally grown and safe. When selecting a rack of lamb you want one that has been trimmed by the butcher. Some of the terms you need to know when purchasing are frenched, chine bone off, cap off and pin bones removed. Butler Meats is a perfect place to have these specifications taken care of. I recommend domestic lamb although Costco has an Australian rack of lamb that meets all of these requirements (pre-trimmed).
Ingredients:
rack of lamb for two
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, medium-coarse
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup shallots, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon flour
1/4 cup red wine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup tomato puree (not paste)
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter, softened
Preparing the rack for roasting is as easy as a, b, c. A rack of lamb should feed a minimum of two people. First rinse and pat dry and then rub the rack with garlic and Dijon mustard. Combine fresh mint, sea salt and black pepper and rub this on the lamb as well.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Put approximately a quarter cup (per rack of lamb) of thinly sliced shallots in the bottom of a 12-inch saute pan, or if cooking more than one rack use the appropriate size roasting pan. Place the rack in the pan on top of the shallots and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the meat to make sure it is 115 degrees.
Depending on your oven it takes 10 to 20 minutes max. Carefully remove the lamb from the pan and set on a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes. Now i's time to make the sauce.
Sprinkle flour over the drippings in the pan used for roasting and whisk everything together (all the drippings and pieces). Carefully pour in red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon is a great one to use), and add Dijon mustard, and tomato puree. Whisk together and then add fresh mint. Let mixture reduce by 25 percent. If it is too thick add a little more wine. At the end of this process add the softened butter and whisk. This should take approximately 15 minutes even for a novice.
Slice your lamb using a serrated knife going down the side of each bone. This is where taking the pin bones out is very important. The knife should glide through the meat creating eight chops per rack of lamb. Place the lamb in the center of a serving platter and ladle a little sauce over the top. Surround the lamb with roasted fingerling potatoes. Pass the rest of the sauce with your holiday dinner.
With your rack of lamb I recommend a good Zinfandel or Syrah from Amador Foothills or Eldorado County. As always enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!
Happy Holidays!!
