4. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Remove the lamb from the marinade and put it on a plate. Reserve marinade.
5. Heat a skillet large enough to hold all 6 lamb racks and add a small amount of the reserved marinade oil. When the oil is very hot, sear the lamb on all sides.
6. When all the racks of lamb are seared, arrange them, meaty side up, in a baking pan and place the pan in the oven. Roast the lamb no more than medium-rare, between 10 and 15 minutes. Remove lamb to a carving board and keep warm. Discard any excess oil. Spoon the Dijon mustard evenly over the meaty side of each rack and then roll the racks in the bread crumbs. Put coated lamb in a clean pan and return it to oven to roast for
1 minute to toast breadcrumbs. Remove the meat to a cutting board and allow to rest in a warm place.
1. Place the roasting pan on a burner, add the baked shallots and roast garlic, and cook a moment on medium high heat. Now add the red wine and reduce by three-fourths. Add the lamb brown sauce and the roasted pepper strips. Turn the heat to low.
8. Remove the lamb from the oven and carve it off the bone into neat slices. Arrange them on a large platter and spoon the warm sauce all around. When you serve, be sure each diner gets an equal portion of garlic, shallots, and bell pepper.
The complexity of flavor and texture in this rack of lamb represents the best qualities of a red-meat dish, therefore the wine should be equal to the occasion. This is the time to break out your best
Bordeaux from the Medoc region.
HONEY-GLAZED QUAIL
with Stuffing of Cracked Black Pepper Brioche
and Wild Mushrooms
Tiny semiboneless quail have been more widely available in the last few years. Although this recipe calls for them, it will work with almost any bird. You may also use some other combination for the stuffing, but the contrasting sweetness and heat (here achieved with honey and pepper) should remain in some form. (There are many interesting honeys available. I buy several varieties from the American Spoonfood Company in Petoskey, Michigan.)
Serves 4
SAUCE
2 tablespoons roughly chopped shallots 2 quarts Chicken (or other poultry) Stock
1 teaspoon olive oil (page 240)
V2 cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons honey
1 small onion, diced small Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1 small carrot, diced small Ч2 recipe Cracked Black Pepper Brioche
2 stalks celery, diced small (page 209), cut or torn into small pieces
4 tablespoons (V2 stick) butter (reserve the rest for another use)
l/2 pound wild mushrooms, sliced 8 fresh semiboneless quail, cleaned and
2 tablespoons thyme leaves patted dry
1 cup Chicken (or other poultry) Stock 4 tablespoons (Ч2 stick) butter
(page 240) Peanut oil to saute the quail
1. Make the sauce: In a medium-sized saucepan, sweat the shallots in the olive oil until glazed. Add the vinegar and reduce to a glaze.
2. Add the stock, skim as necessary, and reduce to IV2 cups. Add the honey and cook until almost as thick as maple syrup.
3. Strain sauce through a fine-mesh strainer and reserve.
4. Prepare the stuffing: Saute the diced onion, carrot, and celery in the butter until slightly soft. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute. Add the thyme leaves. Add the stock and heat through. Season, remove from the heat, and put in a bowl.
5. Mix the brioche with the vegetables and set aside.
6. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rub the quail inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the quail and rub the breasts with 2 tablespoons of the butter.
7. Heat a heavy skillet large enough to accommodate the birds (or work in batches). Add the peanut oil. Add the quail and lightly brown them on all sides, starting them breast sides down. Discard the excess oil and place quail breast sides up in the oven.
8. After 4 or 5 minutes, discard any accumulated oil and then brush the birds with the reserved honey sauce. Return them to the oven. Repeat glazing the birds until they are shining, crisp, and darkly colored.
9. Remove the quail to warm plates. Whisk into the remaining sauce the remaining 2 tablespoons of somewhat cold butter and stir over low heat until butter is incorporated. (This is optional, but it pulls the sauce together very nicely.) Pour the sauce over the quail and serve.
The slight gaminess of the quail and the richness of the stuffing suggest a medium-bodied red with plenty of flavor, such as a Mercurey from Burgundy or a Burgundy-style Pinot Noir (there are several interesting ones being produced in Oregon).