- 8
Ingredients
- 6-pound saddle of lamb
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup walnut oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 3-inch sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 medium shallots
- 4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup lamb stock
Preparation
Step 1
Separate the loins and tenderloins from the saddle, and trim them completely. Season lightly with salt and pepper and marinate them in 2 tablespoons walnut oil, cup of wine, bay leaf, thyme and 2 sliced shallots for 2 to 3 hours or overnight in a cool place; do not refrigerate.
Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of walnut oil in a heavy saute pan over high heat. Sear the loins first and then the tenderloins. The meat must be seared very quickly, about 5 minutes in all. The tenderloins take about half as long to cook as the loins. Transfer the meat to a pre-heated 450 degrees Fahrenheit oven and roast for 6 to 10 minutes; add the tenderloins after 3 minutes. The meat should be rare; after 5 minutes, test it by feeling it, or with an instant-read thermometer (internal temperature should be 128 degrees Fahrenheit).
Transfer the lamb to a platter and remove the oil from the saute pan. Add the juices from the roasting pan to the saute pan and deglaze with ½ cup of lamb stock. Reduce to thicken slightly, strain, then whisk in remaining walnut oil to taste. After the lamb has rested for about 5 minutes, slices the meat and pour the sauce over it. Serve with a vegetable, such as fresh chanterelles or Belgian endive, sauteed quickly in butter.