Rack Of Lamb With Fruit Stuffing And Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• To make the Marinade: Zest the lemon with a fine grater, taking care to only remove the yellow peel¿the white pith beneath it is bitter. Use the lemon juice for cocktails, or splash a bit into the marinade if you really love citrus. Mix all the marinade ingredients together.
• To make the Stuffing: Mix the stuffing ingredients together.
• To prepare the Lamb: Cut the rack in 1/2 crosswise so that each piece contains 4 chops. Insert a long, skinny knife into 1 end of the meat and push it through until the tip emerges from the other end. Then, remove the knife and use the handle of a wooden spoon to ream out a 1/2-inch hole, forming a tube through the 4 chops. With your fingers, press half the stuffing into the rack, making sure it's distributed evenly. Repeat with the other half of lamb.
• Place the lamb in a zipper baggie, spoon the marinade onto the meat, and rub it in a little bit. Marinate for at least 1 hour, preferably 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Roast the chops for 25 minutes for medium rare, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 135 degrees F. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes (during which they continue cooking, and the juices run back to the center). Slice into individual chops, if you like, fan across the plate, garnish with a rosemary sprig, and serve.

Steps:

• Season the rack of lamb with salt and pepper.
• Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions, celery, thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the apricots, raisins and prunes and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the Port wine and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• Add the mint and walnuts and stir well to combine.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Reserve 1/4 cup of stuffing for the sauce.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• With a thin, sharp knife, cut into the middle of the lamb loin going as deep as you can.
• Turn the lamb and cut into the center from the other end, to make the 2 ends meet as 1 long slit.
• Insert the handle of a long handled wooden spoon into the slit and push it through the hole on the the other side.
• Gently work the spoon handle to enlarge the hole to 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter.
• With your fingers, work the fruit stuffing into the center of the meat, so that the hole is filled with about 1/4 cup of the stuffing.
• Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the rack to the pan and sear until brown on all sides, about 7 minutes.
• Combine the bread crumbs or crush cornflakes (I use crushed cornflakes), olive oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl.
• Rub the fat side and the ends of the rack of lamb with the mustard, and then press on the bread crumbs or crushed cornflake mixture, coating the fat side and both ends evenly.
• Place the lamb in a roasting pan, fat or crusty side up, with aluminum foil covering the bones to prevent them from burning as they cook.
• Roast the lamb 20 to 25 minutes for medium-rare.
• While the lamb is roasting, make the sauce.
• In a 1 quart saucepot set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil.
• Add the onions and garlic to the pot and allow to sweat for 3 minutes.
• Add the reserved dry fruit stuffing and allow it to sweat for 1 minute.
• Deglaze with wine.
• Reduce the wine until nearly evaporated, and then add the stock and walnuts and reduce by 30 percent.
• Add the chopped sage and season with salt and pepper.
• Remove from heat and quickly swirl the cold butter into the sauce, and serve immediately over the lamb.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine the chopped prunes and currants with the creme de cassis in a small bowl, and set aside. In another small bowl, combine the rosemary, thyme, coriander, salt, and pepper; set aside.
• Untie and unroll the lamb, lay it out flat on the work surface. Trim off excess fat, and cut any thick parts open so that it is evenly thick and somewhat rectangular in shape. Sprinkle half of the herb mixture over the lamb. Mix the almonds and chopped mint into the prune mixture; spread evenly over the lamb. Roll up starting at one of the short sides, and tie with kitchen twine in 1-inch intervals. Cut 9 slits about 1-inch deep into the top of the lamb, and insert a slice of garlic in each. Rub with olive oil, and sprinkle with the remaining herb mixture.
• Place lamb seam-side up on a rack set in a roasting pan. Roast in the preheated oven to desired doneness. For medium-rare, a thermometer inserted into the center will read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Remove lamb from the oven and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes while proceeding with the recipe.
• While the lamb is resting, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Boil until the vinegar has reduced by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Once reduced, stir in the butter, honey, and sliced figs. Stir until the butter has melted, then remove from the heat, stir in the chopped basil and set aside.
• To serve, remove the twine from the lamb and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange on a warm serving platter and drizzle with the fig sauce, garnish with mint and basil leaves.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Move oven rack to the center position.
• In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil to moisten mixture. Set aside.
• Season the rack all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy oven proof skillet over high heat. Sear rack of lamb for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes. Brush rack of lamb with the mustard. Roll in the bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent charring.
• Arrange the rack bone side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb in preheated oven for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness you want. With a meat thermometer, take a reading in the center of the meat after 10 to 12 minutes and remove the meat, or let it cook longer, to your taste. Let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes, loosely covered, before carving between the ribs.