Rack of Spring Lamb With Honey and Lavender

This recipe is from Chef Matthew Baldridge of downtown Detroit's Cliff Bell's restaurant and was clipped from the Hour Detroit magazine, April 2010 issue. We love lamb so I am continually posting new lamb recipes. This is served with a ragout of pearl onions, fava beans and new potatoes so it's a one dish meal and makes a beautiful presentation for a perfect spring meal.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 18 chops

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons honey, organic
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  lavender
• 1  garlic clove, minced
•  butter, and olive oil for sauteing
• 1  cup  white pearl onion, peeled
• 1  cup fava beans, peeled and blanched
• 1  cup new potato, blanched
• 1⁄3 cup red wine (shiraz, zinfandel or cabernet)
• 1⁄2 cup lamb stock (or beef)
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
• 1  pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
• 2  teaspoons thyme, fresh
• 18  bone racks of lamb (domestic spring)
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. For honey glaze, combine honey, lavender and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl and heat 30 seconds to release the rflavor of the garlic and lavender. Set aside.
2. For the lamb, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large saute pan, add butter and olive oil. Saute pearl onions until slightly golden. Add fava beans and potatoes and saute 5-8 minmutes over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Into the same saute pan, add the red wine and let it reduce by half. Add lamb or beef stock and reduce until it's a sauce consistency. (It should coat the back of a metal spoon). Add the chilled butter, ground nutmeg and fresh thme. reduce the heat to low.
3. In another saute pan, add olive oil. Let pan get very hot, but not smoking.
4. Season lamb racks with salt and pepper. Sear lamb in hot pan until golden on all sides. Place lamb and saute pan into oven, cook until medium rare (or a 15-second internal temperature of 135). Liberally brush the honey mixture over the lamb. return to the oven for about 7 mimnutes. Let lamb rest for 10 minutes.
5. Taste ragout mix for proper seasoning, adding salt or pepper, if needed.
6. To serve, spoon the ragout into the center of a platter. Slice the lamb into "chops" and pour over ragout. sprinkle with chives.