Recipe: Roasted Rack of Lamb

Roasted Rack of Lamb
(with Nicoise Olive Sauce and Garlic Puree)
Source: Anne and David Gingrass
Makes four servings

for the sauce
2 cups Madeira wine
2 cups Red wine
1 cup Demi-glace
1 Tomato, medium size, diced
1 Rosemary sprig, small
4 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 Tbsp. Black peppercorns
4 Shallots, peeled and chopped
8 oz. Sweet butter
1/2 cup Pitted nicoise olives (about 1 1/4 cup unpitied)

for the lamb
2 Lamb racks, chine off and fat cap off
2 oz. Virgin olive oil
1 Rosemary sprig, leaves only, chopped
tsp Salt and medium black pepper

for the potato puree
1/2 cup Peeled garlic cloves
4 Large baking potatoes
1 cup Heavy cream or whipping cream
1/4 cup Sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Ground white pepper
2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter

for the sauce (make this first.)
Saute garlic, shallots, and peppercorns in 1 Tbl. butter until lightly browned. Add both the Madeira and red wines, rosemary, and tomato. Simmer until reduced by 2/3's (about 1 cup total). Add demi-glace and return to a boil. Whisk in butter slowly until all is incorporated. Strain sauce through a fine strainer then transfer to a blender. Add the half of the olives to the sauce in the blender and puree until almost smooth. Roughly chop the remaining olives and combine with the sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Reserve the sauce in a warm place until serving time.

to prepare the potatoes (allow at least 30 minutes...start them while letting the lamb racks come to room temperature.)
Peel the potatoes and cut them into four or five pieces. Place into a medium pot with the peeled garlic and cover with water and 1/4 t. salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes become tender. Strain the potatoes from the water. Add the cream to the pot that the potatoes were cooked in and bring to a boil. Return the potatoes along with the sour cream, salt, pepper and butter. Stir well and heat through. Puree the potato mixture through a food mill. Adjust the consistency with warm cream and the seasoning to taste with salt and white pepper. Keep warm until serving.

to prepare the lamb racks
Make sure that all fat cover and bone fragments are removed from the lamb racks. Rub well with the olive oil and season well with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Allow to come to room temperature.

Heat a roasting pan or large saute pan, very hot. Add a few drops of oil and sear the lamb racks on all sides until brown. Place the lamb racks, bone side down, into the hot pan and roast at 400 degrees until medium rare or to desired doneness. 10 to 20 minutes depending on how heavily seared and how done you want them.

to complete the dish
Allow the lamb to rest at room temperature after roasting for about 15 minutes. Then slice the lamb into 8 chops per rack. Spoon the mashed potatoes on to the center of each plate. Ladle the sauce around the potatoes. Place the lamb chops, four to a plate, around the potatoes. Garnish with lightly cooked vegetables of your choice.