Roast rack of lamb with walnut crust & pear bourbon sauce

2 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 teaspoon Olive oil
2 Pears (about 1 lb), peeled, cored, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 Shallot, minced
1 Garlic clove, minced
5 tablespoons Bourbon
½ cup (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
2 tablespoons Pure maple syrup
6 Juniper berries
½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons Coarse-grained mustard
1 tablespoon Pure maple syrup
1 small Shallot, minced
1 small Garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon Dried rosemary
½ teaspoon Dried thyme
1 teaspoon Olive oil
1 1 1/2-lb rack of lamb, trimmed*
⅓ cup Finely chopped walnuts

Directions

SAUCE

LAMB

*Ask your butcher to remove the backbones from the racks and to trim two inches of fat, starting from the tips of the rib bones. This is called "frenching" the racks.

FOR SAUCE: Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pears. Saute until golden, about 6 minutes. Add shallot and garlic.

Saute until shallot is translucent, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully add 4 T bourbon. Carefully ignite with match. When flames subside, return saucepan to heat and boil 2 minutes. Add ½ C stock, syrup, juniper berries, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover pan and cook until pears are soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Discard juniper berries. Puree sauce in processor until smooth.

Return mixture to saucepan. Add remaining 1 T bourbon and thin with more stock, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead Cover and refrigerate.) FOR LAMB: Preheat oven to 375'F. Combine mustard, maple syrup, shat- lot, garlic, rosemary and thyme in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb; cook until brown, about 1 minute per side. Remove from heat; pat lamb dry. Bnish with mustard mixture and sprinkle with walnuts; press nuts into lamb.

Place lamb on rack in roasting pan. Pour water into roasting pan to depth of ½ inch. Cook until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of lamb registers 130'F for medium-rare, about 25 minutes.

Transfer lamb to platter. Let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring sauce to simmer. Cut lamb between bones into 4 double chops. Place 2 double chops on each plate and serve with sauce.

Bon Appetit/October/94 Scanned & edited by Di Pahl & <gg>

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