Carre Dagneau A Lestragon Rack Of Lamb With Tarragon Food

CARRE D'AGNEAU A L'ESTRAGON (RACK OF LAMB WITH TARRAGON)

Steps:

• Each rack of lamb is coated with a fairly heavy covering of fat. This is easily removed with the fingers and a knife. Pull off all the fat from the meaty part of the racks. Using a sharp knife, cut away the fat from the top of the ribs, cutting close to the bone. Using a cleaver, hack the bones in two, leaving about two inches of bones extending from the meat part. Reserve these bones. Hack off the chine bone. Discard the chine bones. This may all be done by the butcher when you purchase the racks. Sprinkle the racks with salt and pepper to taste.
• Select a heavy skillet large enough to hold the racks and hacked-off bones in one layer. Heat the oil in the skillet and add the racks top side down. Cook, turning occasionally to brown all sides, for about 13 minutes. Transfer the pieces to a serving platter to keep warm.
• Pour off the fat from the skillet and add two tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until wilted. Add the wine and cook down almost completely. Add the tarragon, tomato paste and stir. Add the broth. Cook down quickly to about half a cup. Swirl in the remaining butter. Cut the rack between the ribs and serve with the sauce poured over them.

CARRE D'AGNEAU PERSILLE (PARSLEYED RACK OF LAMB)

Steps:

• Have the butcher hack or saw off the chine bone (the flat, continuous bone at the top of the ribs), leaving the meat exposed.
• Preheat the broiler to high. If the oven is heated separately, preheat it also to 500 degrees.
• Using the fingers and a sharp knife, pull and slice off the top thick layer of fat from the rack of lamb. When ready, the loins and ribs should be almost clean of fat. Hack off the ends of the ribs, leaving about one and one-half inches of the ribs intact and extending from the loin meat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Rub with butter a baking dish large enough to hold the rack of lamb. Place the rack, meat side down, in the dish and dot the ribs with one tablespoon of the butter.
• Meanwhile, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, shallots and olive oil in a bowl.
• Place the rack under the broiler and cook about two or three minutes. Turn and cook about two or three minutes.
• Sprinkle the meaty side of the ribs with the bread-crumb mixture. Melt the remaining one tablespoon of butter and pour it over the ribs. Place in the oven and bake eight to 10 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness desired. To serve, slice and cut between the ribs. Serve with grilled tomato (see recipe).

ROASTED RACK OF LAMB WITH RATATOUILLE AND A TARRAGON LAMB JUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Separately, saute the green zucchini, yellow zucchini, eggplant, yellow bell peppers and red bell peppers, in a hot pan with olive oil for 2 minutes, mixing often. Combine the vegetables in a bowl. Heat a large saucepot. Sweat the garlic and onions in olive oil. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes over moderate heat. Add the rest of the pre-cooked vegetables and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat, or until just a slight crunch remains in the vegetables. Keep warm.
• Heat a large saute pan. Season the lamb racks with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to the hot pan and sear the lamb racks on each side for 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer lamb to a roasting pan and place in the oven. Cooking time is 10 minutes for rare, 13 for medium rare, 16 for medium and 20 minutes for well done.
• Remove lamb and let rest for at least 10 minutes, but no longer than 15 minutes. While lamb is cooking, heat stock to a boil and add 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk until butter has disappeared. Add tarragon.
• Heat 6 plates. Reheat ratatouille. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and chopped basil and parsley. In the center of the plates, put a nice sized spoon of ratatouille. Slice the lamb and arrange 3 lamb chops around the vegetables and circle with the sauce.