Begin the meal with a salad of endive, pear and watercress with a blue cheese vinaigrette. The lamb is wonderful with the onion-potato gratin and boiled haricots verts; Côte-Rôtie is the right wine. A French apple tart from the bakery topped with some sweetened créme fraîche makes a nice ending.
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Finely chop 2 medium shallots. Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped shallots and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add Madeira and green peppercorns. Boil uncovered until mixture is reduced to cup, about 12 minutes. Remove sauce from heat.
Step 2
Arrange trimmed racks of lamb on rimmed baking sheet. Cut remaining 4 medium shallots in half and push through garlic press. Coat lamb with pressed shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover sauce and lamb separately and refrigerate.)
Step 3
Preheat oven to 400°F. Roast lamb 25 minutes. Increase heat to 500°F and continue to roast until lamb browns and meat thermometer inserted into center of lamb registers 130°F, about 5 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes.
Step 4
Bring peppercorn sauce to simmer. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut lamb between ribs into chops. Arrange lamb chops on plates. Spoon peppercorn sauce around lamb and serve.
