Roasted Lamb Rack with Velvet Black Olive Sauce

Serves: 4

This roasted rack of lamb with velvety olive sauce is a dish you’ll want to bring out when you have a big impression to make. The lamb melts in your mouth perfectly and pairs wonderfully with the rich, smooth and dreamy black olive sauce. The sauce takes a little time to prepare, so pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy your moment in the kitchen, cooking with love and knowing you’re about to create a masterpiece your dinner guests will cherish.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SAUCE:

½ cup unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 shallots, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp. black peppercorns
2 cups Madeira wine
2 cups red wine
1 medium tomato, diced
1 small rosemary sprig
1 cup demi-glace (or good-quality lamb or beef broth)
½ cup pitted Niçoise olives
salt and pepper, to taste

FOR THE LAMB:

2 lamb racks, 8 chops on each
1 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for the pan
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1 rosemary sprig, leaves only, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

FOR THE SAUCE:

2. To make the sauce, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots and peppercorns and sauté until lightly browned.
3. Add the Madeira, red wine, tomato and rosemary.
4. Simmer until reduced by two-thirds, leaving approximately 1 cup total, about 30 minutes.
5. Add the demi-glace and bring to a boil. Whisk in the remaining butter a little at a time until it is incorporated. (If you would like a thicker, richer sauce, simply add a little more butter.)
6. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer, then transfer to a blender.
7. Add half the olives and purée until almost smooth.
8. Roughly chop the remaining olives, add to the sauce and stir to mix.
9. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then set aside in a warm place until serving time.

FOR THE LAMB:

10. To make the lamb, rub each rack well with the olive oil and season with the salt, pepper and rosemary.
11. Heat a roasting pan or large sauté pan over high heat until very hot.
12. Add a few drops of oil to the pan, then add the lamb racks and sear on all sides until brown.
13. Turn the racks bone side down in the hot pan and transfer to the oven. Roast to your desired doneness, 10–15 minutes for medium-rare.
14. Allow the lamb to rest for 10 minutes, then slice into 8 chops per rack.
15. Serve 4 chops on each plate, accompanied by the sauce. We suggest serving these with garlic mashed potatoes and lightly cooked vegetables.

NUTRITION DATA FOR 1 SERVING

Calories 1247kcal
Total Carbohydrates 29g
Protein 88g
Total Fat 61g
Saturated Fat 26g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 23g
Trans Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 340mg
Sodium 1656mg
Potassium 384mg
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 12g
Vitamin A 22% Daily Value
Vitamin C 12% Daily Value
Calcium 9% Daily Value
Iron 44% Daily Value

This AMAZING Recipe can be found in my Mediterranean Refresh Cookbook here