Catalonian Fire Roasted Lamb Rack Food

ROASTED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Mix together the lemon zest, rosemary, salt and sugar. Season the racks on all sides with this mixture, cover and put in the refrigerator overnight. This acts like a quick cure, which will add flavor to the lamb when it is cooked.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Put a large saute pan over medium heat and add the oil. Put one of the seasoned racks in the pan fat-side down and sear until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the rack and sear the other side for a few minutes. Remove to a rimmed baking sheet fat-side up, and repeat the browning process with the other rack.
• Put the baking sheet with both racks on it in the oven and roast until the meat registers 120 degrees F to 125 degrees F in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into chops and serving.

GRILLED NEW ZEALAND LAMB RACK

Steps:

• In a small dry skillet, heat the peppercorns over medium heat until fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a pan large enough to hold the racks and add the mustard, soy sauce, red wine, thyme, garlic, and oil. Mix, add the racks, and turn to coat them. Marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, at least 8 hours and preferably overnight. Prepare an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler. Season the lamb with the salt and pepper and grill over high heat, or broil, turning once, until brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Let rest 3 minutes before slicing.

ROASTED RACK OF LAMB STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• For the lamb: Let the lamb come to room temperature, about 30 minutes before you are ready to cook it. Season all sides thoroughly with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet with an ovenproof handle, over medium-high heat. Place the lamb fat-side down, and cook until it is browned, about 3 minutes per side. Place the pan with the lamb in the oven and roast for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F for medium-rare or 140 degrees F for medium. Remove the lamb from the oven, cover it with foil, and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with Chimichurri sauce, recipe to follow.
• For the chimichurri sauce: Add the garlic to the bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse to get it chopped up. Place the parsley, chives, cilantro, mint, red pepper flakes, vinegar, and lime juice into the food processor and pulse to begin to combine. With the machine running slowly drizzle in the olive oil until well incorporated. Serve the sauce with the lamb.

ROASTED RACK OF LAMB WITH ROSEMARY JUS

Steps:

• Remove the fat cap from the lamb racks, leaving a thin layer of fat on top of the meat, and clean the fat and skin from the bones and wrap the bones in aluminum foil. Cut the racks in half (leaving you with 4 (4-bone) servings).
• Heat a large skillet over high heat, season the racks with salt and pepper and sear fat side down in the hot skillet until well browned. Turn the racks, fat side up and place in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. You can use a probe thermometer to check the temperature. (At Siro's we roast the racks in a 325 degrees F convection, 20 to 25 minutes to get to medium).
• When the racks are at the desired temperature, remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
• While the lamb is roasting, heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and saute the shallots and garlic until soft. Add the Merlot, turn the heat down to medium, and reduce by half.
• Heat the demi glace and rosemary in another saucepan and let simmer slowly for twenty minutes. Stir in the reduced Merlot mixture a little at a time into the simmering demi-glace until you can just begin to taste the wine in the sauce.
• At this time we combine a little arrow root with cold water and stir it into the sauce to give the sauce a little bit of a shine and some thickening. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, ladle the sauce onto 4warm plates, cut the lamb in half and serve with Roasted Garlic Bread Pudding, Sauteed wild mushrooms, and a seasonal green vegetable.
• Set a skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When hot add the onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, scallion, and minced garlic. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, mince the rosemary and briefly rub in your hand before adding to the vegetables. Cook for 2 more minutes, season with salt and pepper and let cool.
• Combine the whole eggs with the egg yolks and beat well. Stir in the heavy cream and the roasted garlic puree until well blended. Combine the cream mixture with the vegetables and the dried bread cubes and mix well.
• Allow the mixture to stand overnight, covered in the refrigerator.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the bread pudding one third at a time and mound in a greased large muffin tin (you should get 4 to 6). Bake in a 350 degree F oven 45 to 60 minutes until golden brown.
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• To roast garlic, cut the tops off the garlic heads and simmer in 1 cup of milk for 10 minutes. Drain, season with salt and pepper, and combine garlic with 3/4 cup oil. Place in a tightly covered pan and roast for 2 hours in a 275 degree F oven. Uncover and let cool. Strain the oil to remove unwanted garlic skin. Squeeze the garlic from the heads and place in a small blender and puree, adding the strained oil in a slow, steady stream to emulsify the oil into the puree.

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.