Roast Lamb in a Cherry & Red Wine Balsamic Sauce (David Venable)

By davidv

Don’t be intimidated…rack of lamb is surprisingly easy to prepare, just as this recipe proves!

Tip: If fresh cherries are out of season, use frozen cherries. Just defrost and drain them before sautéing.

Ingredients

• 2 2 8-bone 8-bone lamb racks, fat trimmed and bones Frenched*
• 3 3 3 Tbsp oil
• 1 1 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 1 1 cup pitted cherries
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup red wine
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 1 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1 1 tsp orange zest
• 3 3 3 Tbsp butter

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season the lamb with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a medium-sized sauté pan on medium-high heat. Place lamb, meat-side down, in the pan and sear until golden brown. Flip and brown the other side.

Place the lamb on a cookie sheet and bake until the internal temperature reaches 120–125°F (medium rare), approximately 15–20 minutes.

While the lamb is roasting, prepare the sauce. In same sauté pan, add the shallots and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the cherries, red wine, balsamic vinegar, and chicken stock. Bring the sauce to a simmer and allow it to reduce by half, approximately 10–15 minutes. Add the thyme and orange zest and simmer for another 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and stir the butter into the sauce until completely melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice each rack into double bone chops. Spoon the sauce over the chops and serve.