Roast Rack of Lamb with Swiss Chard and Socca Crepe

Yield: 4 Servings

This basic rack of lamb gets bold color and vivid flavor when accompanied by the swiss chard and socca crepe to create a well-rounded platter. The crepe can serve as a savory side or you can replace it with simple roasted potatoes.

Ingredients

Swiss Chard:

1 white onion, thinly sliced
2 bunches Swiss chard
1 Tablespoon butter

Lamb:

2 (25-ounce) racks of lamb, Frenched
1 head of garlic, broken into cloves
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup chicken stock
4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

Socca Crepe:

1/4 cup and extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup chickpea flour

Method

For Swiss Chard:

Peel and slice onion and set aside. Strip leaves off stems of Swiss chard, soak in cold water and blot dry. Melt butter in medium saucepan, then add onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes over medium heat. Do not brown. Then add chard and cook until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

For Lamb:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Trim the lamb racks of any extra fat. Separate the garlic head into cloves but do not peel. Place them in a small sauté pan and roast in oven for 30 minutes or until golden and soft. Season lamb liberally with salt and pepper, and brown all sides in an oven-ready dish. When well-browned, place lamb into oven and roast, turning once, for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let lamb rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Drain fat from roasting pan and deglaze with chicken stock. Reduce liquid by half. Add roasted garlic, olive oil, and chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

For Socca Crepe:

Reheat oven to 400° F. Mix oil, water, coriander and cumin, then whisk in chickpea flour until smooth. Heat a 10- inch oven-ready frying pan until smoking, add two Tablespoons of olive oil, then slowly pour in the chick pea batter and continue to cook over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Place pan in oven for 10 more minutes. Wait 5 minutes before removing crepe with a spatula, then cut into quarters.

To Assemble and Serve:

Reheat Swiss chard. Place one quarter of the crepe on each warm dinner plate. Top crepe with 1/4 of the chard, arrange 1/2 of a lamb rack on top and spoon roasting liquid over the top of lamb.

Pairing Suggestion

Serve with roasted potatoes. Pair with the Hall Napa River Ranch Merlot 2005.

Estimated Prep Time: 30 minutes
Estimated Cooking Time: 60 minutes