Crunchy French Onion Chicken

Roasted rack of lamb is an elegant yet easy to prepare recipe. Tender lamb is served with a red wine mushroom sauce for a gourmet dinner made right at home.

ingredient

Rack of Lamb

2 pounds rack of lamb, Frenched
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt, for seasoning
black pepper, for seasoning

Red Wine Mushroom Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup minced yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
8 ounces brown mushrooms, ¼" thick slices
1 cup Zinfandel red wine
½ cup unsalted chicken stock
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon chopped thyme

Directions

Preheat the Oven – Adjust the oven rack to the center position. Heat to 350°F (177ºC).
Season the Lamb – Remove excess fat from the lamb, leaving a thin layer. Dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
Sear the Lamb – In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add lamb fat side down. Cook until browned, then flip over, searing about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Sear the bottoms and sides for 30 to 60 seconds until browned. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes total for searing all sides.
Roast the Lamb – Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the lamb fat-side up. For medium-rare, cook until the center reaches 120 to 125°F (49 to 52ºC), 10 to 20 minutes on a meat thermometer. For medium, cook to 130 to 135°F (54 to 57ºC), 20 to 30 minutes.
Rest the Meat – Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, make the red wine mushroom sauce.
Saute the Mushrooms – In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and saute for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened, about 6 minutes.
Make the Wine Sauce – Add the wine and chicken stock to the pan, and turn the heat to high. Simmer until liquid is reduced to ¾ cups. Turn off the heat, and whisk in butter and thyme. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
To Serve – Slice the rack into 1 to 2 rib pieces and serve with the red wine mushroom sauce.