Irecently cooked a vintners' dinner for the people from Chateau Montelena in California. They wished to present a vertical tasting of their Cabernet Sauvignons from 1979 through 1983, so the food had to match a solid flow of Cabernets. I devised a very simple, classic progression, beginning with an "amuse" course-tiny samples of foie gras, a wild mushroom terrine, and grilled scallops with a butter sauce. They enjoyed Champagne with this. There followed a salad of mixed lettuces with a vinaigrette, unaccompanied by wine. Then came the two courses with which we poured their beautifully crafted Cabernets. The first was the lamb entree (the first in this chapter). I felt the bell pepper tones I chose to include in the sauce would be in harmony with the Cabernet's oak and cedar flavors. In fact, the various vintages had characteristics that distinguished them from each other, but the lamb and its sauce was in sync throughout. The second course was a selection of cheeses with homemade breads. The leisurely pace of such a course allowed our guests to linger over the fine vintages for a long while. The wines evolved in fascinating ways as we slowly swirled, sniffed, and finished the glasses on the table. Overlooking a moonlit expanse of ocean, we were content in the knowledge that that night we had done the "right thing."
1\0AST RACK OF LAMB
with Roasted Peppers, Garlic, and Shallots
A rack of lamb consists of enough meat for four full portions. For six people you will need one and a half racks of lamb cut into six equal-sized sections. Each portion will have three to four bones in it.
Serves 6
6 portions of rack of lamb (see above) 3 yellow peppers
'/2 cup virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons roughly chopped rosemary V2to 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
leaves 12 medium-sized cloves Roast Garlic
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper (page 200)
3 bay leaves 1 cup red wine
6 cloves garlic, split in half ЗЧ2 cups rich Lamb Brown Sauce
3 red peppers (page 249)
SHALLOTS
12 whole, peeled, medium-sized shallots 1 bay leaf
Ч2 bunch fresh thyme 6 whole black peppercorns
6 leaves fresh basil 2 cups virgin olive oil
1. Cut the lamb into portions and rub them all over with olive oil. Sprinkle on the chopped rosemary and put lamb in a large bowl. Add cracked black pepper, 3 bay leaves, and the 6 spht cloves of garlic to the bowl and toss the meat around a moment. Refrigerate.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. While it is heating, prepare the shallots: Put the peeled, whole shallots in a small baking dish and add the thyme, basil, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Top the shallots with olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake approximately 1 hour. Remove the foil and test shallots. They should be soft enough
to be pierced easily with a sharp knife. If they are, remove them from the oven. Otherwise, cook a bit longer. When they are finished, remove the shallots from the oil with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl. Reserve the oil for salad dressings or other cooking.
3. Roast the red and yellow peppers, then peel them, remove the seeds, and cut into very wide strips.