Pan-Roasted Rack of Lamb (with choice of sauce)

By ngteller

You can make:

Tangerine-Chile, Mustard-Shallot, or Olive Prune Sauce

Ingredients

• For Tangerine Chile:
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• One 2 1/2-pound frenched rack of lamb
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon finely grated tangerine zest
• 1/2 cup fresh tangerine juice
• 1 small fresh red chile, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• For Olive-Prune:
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 8 pitted prunes, quartered
• 8 green Picholine olives—pitted, halved and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons Niçoise olives—pitted, halved and rinsed
• 1/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• For Mustard-Shallot:
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme

Preparation

Step 1

DIRECTIONS

For Meat:
Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Add the lamb to the skillet, fat side down, and cook over moderately high heat until richly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the lamb fat side up and cook for 2 minutes longer. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the rack for about 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 125° for medium-rare. Transfer the lamb to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Make sauce as described below.

Carve the lamb into chops and arrange on warmed plates. Spoon the sauce over the lamb and serve.


For Tangerine-Chile:
Discard the fat in the skillet. Add the tangerine zest and juice and the chile to the skillet and boil over moderately high heat until the juice is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and boil until reduced by one-fourth, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.


For Olive-Prune:
Discard the fat in the skillet. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and the garlic and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, prunes and olives and simmer over moderate heat until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the stock and rosemary and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.


For Mustard-Shallot:
iscard the fat in the skillet. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and the shallots to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the whole grain and Dijon mustards and the thyme. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.