A Stunning Main Course
I think lamb and goat cheese is a perfect combination. The goat cheese sauce here is a simple one, that I learned from Chef Dean Fearing, that pairs beautifully with any grilled or broiled red or white meat. For years, I often made little sandwiches on toast with leftover roast leg of lamb and soft ripened goat cheese. Much later, I merged a couple of thoughts together and developed a more formal recipe at home for dinner parties.
Tarragon-Crusted Lamb with Goat Cheese Fondue
Ingredients
For the Lamb:
- 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
- 2 tablespoons dried tarragon
- 2 racks of lamb, frenched (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs
For the Fondue:
- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
- 2 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
- Salt
Instructions
Total Time: 1 hr
Servings: 4
Prepare the Lamb
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a small bowl, combine the mustard with the garlic and the fresh and dried tarragon. Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper and coat evenly with the mustard mixture. Pat the bread crumbs all over the lamb racks, pressing to help them adhere.
Set the lamb racks fat side up on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until medium-rare, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat should register 135°. Let the racks rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, Make the Fondue
In a small saucepan, bring the wine to a boil with the shallots, garlic and turmeric. Simmer over moderate heat until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until somewhat thickened, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the goat cheese until smooth and season with salt. Strain the fondue through a fine-mesh sieve into a serving bowl and keep warm.
Carve the racks into chops and arrange on a platter. Drizzle some of the fondue on top and serve, passing the remaining fondue at the table.
