« Pacific Northwest: Taste

Roasted Rack of Lamb With a Casserole of Spring Vegetables and Rosemary Oil

Serves 4 Ask your butcher to cut the lamb racks. To make a facsimile of "veal reduction," see the note below. To make rosemary oil, purée a few sprigs of the fresh herb in a blender with a cup of grapeseed oil, let it stand overnight, then strain out the solids. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to a month.

2 lamb racks, "Frenched," chine bones cut 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil 3/4 cup chicken broth 12 large green beans, blanched 12 large yellow wax beans, blanched 1/2 cup peeled fava beans, germs removed, chilled in water 8 baby carrots Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves 1 cup "veal reduction" 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Rosemary sprigs Rosemary-infused oil 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sear the lamb racks in the grapeseed oil for approximately 3 minutes. Drain off the fat and roast the lamb in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a quick-read thermometer inserted in the middle of the rack registers 130 for medium rare. Remove the lamb from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. 2. While the lamb is roasting, cook the green, yellow and fava beans and carrots in the chicken broth with salt and pepper to taste, for about 5 minutes, or until tender. With a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables as soon as they are tender. Add the rosemary leaves and "veal reduction" to the broth and boil over high heat until the liquid is reduced by about one-third. Strain out the rosemary leaves, whisk in the butter, and put the vegetables back in. 3. Carve the lamb racks into individual chops. Divide the vegetables among four large serving plates. Place the carved lamb on top of the vegetables and spoon the sauce over the lamb. Garnish each plate with a sprig of fresh rosemary and drizzle with a few drops of rosemary oil. Note: Feenie makes homemade veal stock, boiled down to a glaze with red wine, port, shallots, garlic and thyme. Home cooks can make this reasonable facsimile: Cook a tablespoon of sugar in a dry pan until it has melted and turned brown. Add a chopped shallot, a sprig of thyme, a cup of red wine and a cup of chicken broth; boil the mixture over high heat until it is reduced to half its original volume.