Saddle of Lamb with Ratatouille and Basil Oil

• 1 tablespoon pure olive oil
• 1 trimmed saddle of lamb, about 3 pounds, cut into 4 equal pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced wild mushroom stems or 6 medium domestic mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 parsley stems
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 6 cups lamb stock
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups Ratatouille
• 3 cups lamb sauce (recipe above)
• 4 tablespoons Basil Oil

1. For the lamb sauce:
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until just smoking.
3. Add the onion, carrot, mushroom stems, and garlic, and saute for 5 minutes, or until barely tender.
4. Add the herbs, peppercorns, and lamb stock, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by about half.
5. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
6. Remove the bay leaf.
7. For the lamb:
8. Preheat the oven to 450F.
9. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over high heat until just smoking sear the lamb on all sides.
10. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast, meaty-side up, 5 minutes for rare, 6 to 7 minutes for medium, or 8 minutes for well done.
11. Allow to rest 5 minutes before carving.
12. To serve:
13. Mound the ratatouille in the center of 4 serving plates.
14. Slice the lamb thin and fan it over the ratatouille.
15. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of sauce around the lamb and drizzle about 1 tablespoon of basil oil around that.
16. Variations:
17. For lamb sauce, substitute Roasted Garlic-Black Olive Oil combined with a little basil or rosemary oil.
18. For basil oil, substitute Rosemary Oil.
19. For an elegant presentation, mold the ratatouille in a 5-inch ring and arrange the sliced lamb on top.

olive oil, lamb, olive oil, onion, carrot, mushroom stems, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, parsley stems, black peppercorns, lamb stock, kosher salt, lamb sauce, basil oil

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/saddle-of-lamb-with-ratatouille-and-basil-oil (may not work)