Hazelnut Crusted Racks Of Lamb With Tomato Olive Ragoût Food

HAZELNUT-CRUSTED RACKS OF LAMB WITH TOMATO-OLIVE RAGOûT

Steps:

• Prepare lamb:
• Mix 1 cup oil, rosemary and garlic in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Add to marinade; turn to coat on all sides. Cover and chill overnight, turning occasionally.
• Grind bread in processor until small crumbs form. Combine 2 cups crumbs (reserve and remaining crumbs for another use), parsley, nuts and shallots in processor. Process until nuts are finely ground. Gradually add 2 tablespoons oil; process until crumbs begin to stick together. Transfer to bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon oil toss gently to coat. (Coating can made 1 day ahead. Cover, chill.)
• Make tomato-olive ragout:
• Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic and dried red pepper. Sauté 5 minutes. Add fennel and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices and olives. Increase heat and bring to gentle boil. Cook until onions are tender and juices thicken, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with spoon, about 18 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover, chill. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.)
• Final preparation:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat heavy large skillet over high heat. Remove lamb from marinade. Add lamb to skillet with some marinade still coating lamb. Cook until brown, about 4 minutes per side. (If necessary, brown 1 rack at a time.) Using tongs, transfer lamb to baking sheet; cool 15 minutes. Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard over rounded side of each rack; firmly press half of breadcrumb coating into mustard on each rack.
• Roast lamb until meat thermometer inserted into center of lamb registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 25 minutes. Let lamb rest 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix basil and butter into warm ragout; stir until butter melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer lamb to cutting board. Cut lamb between bones into individual chops. Divide chops among 4 plates. Spoon ragout alongside chops and serve.

HAZELNUT-CRUSTED LAMB CHOPS

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, tossing, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a food processor. Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until golden, tossing, about 5 minutes. Add to the processor along with the coriander, cumin, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt; pulse until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Transfer to a shallow bowl.
• Make the salad: Set a steamer basket over a saucepan filled with 1 inch of water; bring the water to a boil. Add the carrots, cover and steam until fork-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the parsley, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, cayenne, 2 tablespoons of the hazelnut crust mixture, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in 2/3 cup olive oil. Add the steamed carrots and toss; cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Add the feta and dates to the carrot mixture, season with salt and black pepper and toss. Add the mixed greens and frisee but do not toss.
• Pat the lamb chops dry and season with salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Working in 2 batches, position the chops snugly in the skillet with the fatty edge down (the bones will curve); cook until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the chops and cook on the flat sides until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Dredge each cooked chop in the hazelnut crust.
• Toss the salad and divide among plates. Serve with the lamb chops.

CRUSTED FRESH HERBED RACK OF LAMB WITH POTATO LEEK GRATIN AND ROASTED GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• For the Gratin: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Slice the leeks into thin circles. Mix the butter and the garlic together and set aside. Season the cream with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Layer the potatoes, the leeks, the garlic butter, and then the cream, alternating until the potatoes are lightly covered with the cream. Bake for 30 minutes.
• For the Lamb: Sear the lamb in olive oil in a roasting pan until golden, fat side down first. Remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Brush the mustard onto both sides of the seared lamb. Season with salt and pepper. Mix together all of the herbs. Dredge both sides of the lamb in the herbs, pressing lightly so the herbs adhere. In the same roasting pan the lamb was cooked in, add the 20 cloves of garlic and place the lamb on top. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes or until medium-rare. When cooked remove the lamb from the roasting pan and wrap in aluminum foil to rest.
• Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat. Remove the garlic and set aside. Discard all the fat. Add the thyme, white wine, and the stock and reduce by half.
• Place half of the roasted garlic in a blender. Add the reduced stock and wine mixture and puree until smooth. Add the tablespoon of butter and pulse to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper.
• To Serve: Place a large scoop of the gratin in the center of a plate. Slice the lamb every two chops and place on top of the gratin. Pour the sauce over the lamb and garnish with the remaining roasted garlic and your favorite seasonal vegetables.

RACK OF LAMB WITH OLIVE CRUST

Steps:

• Chop the olives finely and mix with all other crust ingredients.
• Sprinkle the rack with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and sear the rack on both sides (about 1 minute per side), until browned.
• Transfer rack of lamb to a cookie sheet. Spread the crust ingredients over the top of the lamb, and sort of press it on.
• Bake in a 350F oven for 25-30 minutes. Then turn on the broiler and broil the lamb for about a minute to crisp up the crust a bit.

OLIVE-CRUSTED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Sprinkle lamb bones with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add lamb bones and sauté until dark brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer lamb bones to bowl. Add leek, carrot, and onion to same pot. Sauté until golden, about 12 minutes. Add tomato, red wine, garlic, bay leaves, and rosemary; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add 4 cups water and lamb bones with any accumulated juices. Bring to boil. Cover partially, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened and reduced, about 2 hours. Using tongs, discard lamb bones. Press vegetables and liquid through sieve into large bowl. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.)
• For lamb:
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and rosemary; sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add olives and stir until moist clumps form, adding more breadcrumbs if mixture is loose. Season crumb topping with salt and pepper. Cool.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add lamb racks to skillet, rounded side down. Sear until brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet, seared side up. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard over each. Press crumb topping into mustard. Roast lamb to desired doneness, about 25 minutes for medium.
• Rewarm sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally. Cut lamb between bones and serve with sauce.

RACK OF LAMB WITH A HONEY-HAZELNUT CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425F degrees.
• Combine hazelnuts, breadcrumbs and rosemary in large bowl.
• Arrange lamb racks meat side up in single layer on heavy large baking sheet.
• Brush each rack with 1 Tbsp dijonnaise.
• Season lamb wih salt and pepper.
• Press 2/3 cup breadcrumb mixture onto each.
• Drizzle each lamb rack with 1 Tbsp honey.
• Roast until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 130F for medium-rare, about 25 minutes.
• Let lamb stand 10 minutes.
• Cut between each rib to separate into chops.
• (Racks can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate).