Lamb Chops Herbes De Provence with a Pinot Noir Sauce
This is a recipe that Lady H got from the editor of Bon Appétit magazine when out in Palm Springs probably about 1993; I think the Hansons went to the editor's house for dinner. I had to change it of course for Lord and Lady Hanson by removing the garlic, but here I have put it back in. We like to serve this dish with a Brunoise of vegetables and steamed Jersey Royal potatoes.
This is a recipe that Lady H got from the editor of Bon Appétit magazine when out in Palm Springs probably about 1993; I think the Hansons went to the editor's house for dinner. I had to change it of course for Lord and Lady Hanson by removing the garlic, but here I have put it back in. We like to serve this dish with a Brunoise of vegetables and steamed Jersey Royal potatoes.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 1 tablespoon black pepper freshly ground
- -- for the sauce --
- 3 pounds lamb neck stew meat, or lamb ribs
- 1 pound onions coarsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon herbes de provence
- 4 1/2 cups chicken stock use a good strong one
- 4 1/2 cups pinot noir you can use another good dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon plain flour
- -- for the lamb --
- 4 1/2 pound lamb cutlets (well trimmed 8-rib racks of lamb, preferably frenched) see note
- 1 cup fresh italian parsley finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh thyme finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh sage finely chopped
- 5 tablespoon olive oil divided
- Carbohydrate 13.6772882498792 g
- Cholesterol 721.9703125 mg
- Fat 83.8731061250229 g
- Fiber 1.98673001089227 g
- Protein 54.2294743750056 g
- Saturated Fat 41.0891557000083 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (617g)
- Sodium 371.898100000423 mg
- Sugar 11.6905582389869 g
- Trans Fat 8.82879542499811 g
- Calories 1114 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the oil in heavy large pan over medium to high heat. Add the lamb and saute until a nice deep brown, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the lamb to a bowl. Add the onions, carrot, garlic, and Herbes de Provence to the pan and saute until the vegetables are deep brown, about 8 minutes. Add wine and stock to the pan; return the lamb and any accumulated juices to the pan.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 1? hours.
- Strain into large bowl, pressing on the solids in strainer to release all the stock. Spoon off any fat from the surface of the stock and return the stock to the same large pan. Simmer until reduced to 1 and 1/3 cups, about 15 minutes.
- Mix the butter and flour in small bowl to smooth paste and then whisk the paste into the stock. Simmer the sauce until slightly thickened and smooth, whisking constantly, about 1 minute longer.
- Season with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead). Transfer to a small saucepan, cover, and chill. Re-warm before using.
- Stir the fresh herbs and pepper in a medium bowl to blend, add 2 tablespoons of oil and mix until the herbs are sticking together.
- Sprinkle the lamb racks with salt; firmly press 1/3 of the herb mixture over the rounded side of each rack to cover. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead).
- Place on large rimmed baking sheet. Cover and chill.
- Preheat the oven to 350F, 180?c, Gasmark 4
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add 1 lamb rack to the frying pan, herbed side down.
- saute until browned, about 4 minutes. Turn the rack over and saute until browned, about 3 minutes. Place rack, herbed side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Repeat, fitting the remaining racks on the same sheet.
- Roast the lamb until a meat thermometer inserted into the centre registers 135F for medium-rare, about 25 minutes. Let the lamb rest on the sheet 15 to 20 minutes.
- Cut the lamb between the bones into individual chops, and arrange 3 chops on each plate, drizzle with the sauce and serve.
While a standard pan-seared lamb chop gets cooked entirely on the stovetop, this preparation splits its time between the burner and the oven to manage a thick herb crust safely. You will need a heavy large pan for building the deep foundation of the sauce, alongside a large rimmed baking sheet for roasting the racks. A meat thermometer is non-negotiable here; pull the lamb out when the internal temperature hits 135 degrees Fahrenheit for proper medium-rare doneness. If a food processor is unavailable for chopping the fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage, a sharp chef knife works fine if you mince the greens very finely before mixing them with the oil. Home cooks working around dietary restrictions can easily omit the garlic from the sauce base or swap the pinot noir for a robust beef stock with a splash of red wine vinegar. The finished sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for up to one day if stored in a covered container, meaning you can complete the time-consuming reduction step well in advance of a dinner party.
