Rack Of Lamb With Pecan-Chipotle Sauce

By á-170456

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 small white onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 4 cups water
• 8 fresh cilantro sprigs
• 1 teaspoon finely-chopped canned chipotle chiles plus
• 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
• 1/4 cup chile seeds (from any dried but not smoked chile, such as ancho or pasilla)
• 3/4 teaspoon aniseed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 piece canela* - (abt 1") (or cinnamon stick)
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 racks lamb - (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs ea) fat trimmed, and frenched (trimmed between bones)

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

* Mexican cinnamon sticks with a delicate, floral flavor.

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add pecans, 4 cups water, and cilantro. Boil 10 minutes. Mix in chipotle chiles and adobo sauce. Remove cilantro. Puree mixture in blender. Return to saucepan and boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Season sauce with salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat before using.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast chile seeds in large skillet over medium-high heat, shaking pan constantly, until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Transfer seeds to spice grinder. Add spices; grind very finely. Sprinkle lamb with salt and coat with spice mixture. Place lamb, bone-side down, on heavy rimmed baking sheet. Roast lamb until thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 125 degrees for medium-rare, about 25 minutes. Let lamb stand 5 minutes. Cut into chops; top with sauce and serve.

This recipe yields 4 servings.