Rack of Lamb with Merlot Glaze and Cherry Reduction Sauce
This is a truly special dinner entree. A bit labor intensive to start off with, but once you have the glaze and cherry sauce done the rest of the preparation goes together like a dream, and the taste is out of this world. If you really have some special guests you want to impress, then this is the perfect choice. I accompany mine with sea salt roasted baby potatoes and green beans.
This is a truly special dinner entree. A bit labor intensive to start off with, but once you have the glaze and cherry sauce done the rest of the preparation goes together like a dream, and the taste is out of this world. If you really have some special guests you want to impress, then this is the perfect choice. I accompany mine with sea salt roasted baby potatoes and green beans.
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt ~~amp pepper
- cherry reduction sauce
- 2 cups merlot or 2 cups other red wine
- 2 cups fresh cherries pitted ( i have very successfully substituted bottled morello c
- 1 shallots chopped
- 4 cups lamb stock or 4 cups chicken stock
- merlot glaze
- 1 bottle (750 ml) merlot
- 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar good quality
- 1 shallots chopped
- lamb
- 4 lamb racks excess fat trimmed and bones frenched ( 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. each)
- salt and pepper & pepper
- rosemary sprigs sprigs
- Carbohydrate 17.9598327570694 g
- Cholesterol 308.211 mg
- Fat 88.2884 g
- Fiber 1.49624993205071 g
- Protein 72.44471 g
- Saturated Fat 43.9976405 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (798g)
- Sodium 38329.3755100939 mg
- Sugar 16.4635828250187 g
- Trans Fat 5.93650449999999 g
- Calories 1264 calories
Step-by-step
- To prepare the sauce; combine the wine, cherries, garlic and shallot in a saucepan over high heat and reduce until the mixture is almost dry, about 10 minutes.
- Add the stock, decrease the heat to medium, and reduce until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the butter and stir until melted.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Keep warm until you are ready to serve.
- Preheat oven to 300*F.
- To prepare the glaze, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat and reduce until about 1/2 cup liquid remains, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Set aside until you are ready to use it.
- To prepare the lamb, season the racks well with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat until smoking hot.
- Add as many of the racks as will fit without overcrowding the pan, meat side down, and sear well, 3 to 4 minutes; transfer to a sheet pan.
- Continue searing the remaining racks.
- Baste the racks well with the glaze.
- Set the pan in the oven and roast, basting every 5 minutes, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 135*F for medium-rare doneness about 20 minutes.
- Remove the racks from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes, then slice.
- To serve, place the slices on a warm serving platter and drizzle with some of the sauce.
- Garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve warm, with any extra sauce on the side.
Deep mahogany chops emerge from the oven with a caramelized, lacquered crust, releasing the earthy aroma of roasted herbs mixed with tart, concentrated fruit. When sourcing fresh cherries for the reduction sauce while they are in season, pit them carefully before combining them with wine, garlic, and shallot over high heat. Preparing components like the merlot glaze ahead of time streamlines the cooking process considerably.
Scaling and Proportions for Different Yields
Adjusting quantities for a dinner party requires careful attention to the liquid reductions. Doubling the merlot and balsamic vinegar for a larger crowd extends the reduction time past the standard 25 minutes, because extra volume demands more evaporation to reach that concentrated half-cup state. Conversely, cutting the sauce ingredients in half means watching the saucepan closely during the final five minutes to prevent scorching the sugar content. Searing the meat requires a heavy-bottomed skillet that holds heat effectively; overcrowding the pan drops the surface temperature instantly and prevents the necessary crust formation.
- If the cherry reduction becomes too thick before the stock is added, thin it gradually with a tablespoon of warm water rather than extra wine.
- Ensure the sauté pan is smoking hot before introducing the lamb, allowing three to four minutes per side to lock in juices.
- Monitor the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat, pulling it at 135 degrees Fahrenheit for medium-rare before the mandatory five-minute resting period.
