Stuffed Rack Of Lamb For Two Recipes

STUFFED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Clean some of the fat and silver skin from lamb. Season with sea salt and black pepper. (lamb should be at room temperature before roasting)
• Place lamb meat side down in hot saute pan and allow the meat to sear well, then turn it over and sear the other side. Set aside until ready to stuff
• Saute spinach until it starts to wilt, then add the tomato halves and continue to saute for a minute, then add the chopped scallions and garlic and saute for another minute.
• Remove the spinach mixture from the heat and allow to cool.
• After the spinach mixture has cooled down a bit, place the mixture in a strainer and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible in the strainer.
• Place the spinach mixture into a mixing bowl and add the bread crumbs, cheese, and egg. Mix well and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
• Take half the mixture and place it in the little gully between the high part of the lamb rack and the bones. Mound the stuffing evenly distributing on the top of the rack of lamb.
• Repeat the process with the other rack, then season them both with a teaspoon of Montreal brand beef seasoning (or just cracked black pepper and sea salt) then sprinkle the meat with a little of the panko bread crumbs.
• Place the Rack of lamb in a 400 degree preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Temp the lamb using a thermometer until it reads 125 degrees ( the internal temperature will rise 5-10 degrees more after removing from the oven) Allow lamb to rest 10 minutes before cutting.

STUFFED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Remove plastic netting or twine from around the leg of lamb, if any, and open up the roast on a cutting board. Place the boned side of the roast up. With a sharp paring knife, cut away any excess fatty areas. Use a sharp knife to cut 1/2-inch deep slits in the meat about 2 inches apart, to help the meat lie flat. Cover the meat with a sturdy piece of plastic wrap or a cut-apart food storage bag, and pound the meat with a mallet or the edge of a small plate until the roast is about 3/4 inch thick everywhere, and 10 to 14 inches square.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Sprinkle the upper side of the meat with salt and pepper, and then spread spinach leaves over the top of the roast to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Break up the goat cheese and sprinkle it evenly over the spinach, then sprinkle the pine nuts over the cheese.
• Roll the roast up into a tight cylinder, and tie the roast together with kitchen twine at 2 inch intervals. It's okay if a little stuffing protrudes from the sides of the roast.
• In a flat dish, mix together the flour, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of pepper, the thyme, and the fennel seeds, and press the tied roast firmly into the flour mixture to coat all sides.
• Heat the sesame oil in a heavy oven-proof or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers, and sear all sides of the roast, including the ends, to a golden brown color. Lay the roast into the skillet, place into the preheated oven, and roast to your desired degree of doneness, or an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (65 degrees C) for medium, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

PASTRY-WRAPPED LAMB RACK

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the minced shallot, morel and oyster mushrooms; cook until the mushrooms have lightly browned, and are soft. Pour in the white wine, and cook until evaporated. Scrape the mushrooms onto a plate, and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, stir together the cumin, paprika, oregano, brown sugar, garlic powder, parsley flakes, pepper, and salt in a bowl. Coat the lamb rack with the spice mixture and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
• Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over one side of the puff pastry. Cut a slit 2 inches away from one edge of the puff pastry for each bone on the lamb rack. Carefully poke the bones through the slits and wrap the pastry around the lamb rack, pressing the edges of the pastry together to seal. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg yolk. Refrigerate the lamb for 10 minutes before baking.
• Bake the lamb in the preheated oven until the pastry has puffed and turned golden-brown, about 15 minutes. Remove, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. While the lamb is resting, bring the demi-glace to a simmer in a small saucepan. Whisk in the butter until dissolved. Drizzle the demi-glace over the sliced lamb chops, and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley to garnish.

RACK OF LAMB WITH FRUIT STUFFING AND SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the rack of lamb with salt and pepper.
• Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions, celery, thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the apricots, raisins and prunes and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the Port wine and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• Add the mint and walnuts and stir well to combine.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Reserve 1/4 cup of stuffing for the sauce.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• With a thin, sharp knife, cut into the middle of the lamb loin going as deep as you can.
• Turn the lamb and cut into the center from the other end, to make the 2 ends meet as 1 long slit.
• Insert the handle of a long handled wooden spoon into the slit and push it through the hole on the the other side.
• Gently work the spoon handle to enlarge the hole to 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter.
• With your fingers, work the fruit stuffing into the center of the meat, so that the hole is filled with about 1/4 cup of the stuffing.
• Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the rack to the pan and sear until brown on all sides, about 7 minutes.
• Combine the bread crumbs or crush cornflakes (I use crushed cornflakes), olive oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl.
• Rub the fat side and the ends of the rack of lamb with the mustard, and then press on the bread crumbs or crushed cornflake mixture, coating the fat side and both ends evenly.
• Place the lamb in a roasting pan, fat or crusty side up, with aluminum foil covering the bones to prevent them from burning as they cook.
• Roast the lamb 20 to 25 minutes for medium-rare.
• While the lamb is roasting, make the sauce.
• In a 1 quart saucepot set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil.
• Add the onions and garlic to the pot and allow to sweat for 3 minutes.
• Add the reserved dry fruit stuffing and allow it to sweat for 1 minute.
• Deglaze with wine.
• Reduce the wine until nearly evaporated, and then add the stock and walnuts and reduce by 30 percent.
• Add the chopped sage and season with salt and pepper.
• Remove from heat and quickly swirl the cold butter into the sauce, and serve immediately over the lamb.