Saveur - April-May 2017

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about 1 minute, then remove
and discard the vanilla bean.

5 In a medium bowl, whisk the
sugar and egg yolks until thick-
ened and pale yellow. Slowly
stream in the warm milk,
whisking constantly, until just
combined (do not overmix).

6 Return the mixture to the
saucepan; cook over low heat,
stirring constantly, until the
custard is just thick enough to
coat the back of a spoon,
25–30 minutes. Remove and
let cool. Stir in the cream.

7 In a small saucepan over
medium heat, melt the brown
sugar and 1 tablespoon water
until the sugar crystals have
dissolved, 2–3 minutes. Stir
in the 5 cups bread crumbs

and turn off the heat; let cool.

(Save any remaining bread for

another use.)

8 Pour the custard base into

an ice cream maker and churn

according to the manufactur-

er’s directions. Once almost

fully thickened (about 40 min-

utes), add the prepared bread.

Remove; freeze in a covered

container until ready to serve.

9 Make the butterscotch:

In a medium saucepan over

medium heat, add the cream,

sugar, butter, and salt. Cook,

stirring constantly, until the

sugar dissolves and the mixture

is smooth, 5 minutes. Remove

from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Serve the butterscotch sauce

warm atop the ice cream, with

whipped cream, if using.

SEAWEED-CRUSTED
R ACK OF L AMB WITH
RED WINE SAUCE
SERVES 4–6
Active: 35 min. • Total: 1 hr.

Mark Murphy, head of the Din-
gle Cookery School, believes
the lamb raised in Ding le to be
some of the world’s best. “The
meat has a slight salt flavor,”
he says, “due to the Atlantic
sea breezes that blow across
the peninsula,” where the ani-
mals feed. Even if you can’t get
lamb from the source, seaweed
lends a soft salinity to the dish.

For the lamb:

¾ cup coarse bread

crumbs

¾ cup chopped dried red

seaweed such as dulse

Leaves from 1 head

celery (¼ cup)

Kosher salt and freshly

ground black pepper

7 Tbsp. (3½ oz.) unsalted

butter, melted

2 racks of lamb, trimmed

and frenched (2½ lb.)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

For the red wine sauce:

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. tomato paste

½ cup red wine

1½ cups beef or lamb stock

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 Make the lamb: Set a rack

in the center of the oven and

preheat to 350°. In a food pro-

cessor, mix the bread crumbs,

seaweed, celery leaves,

½ teaspoon salt, and a pinch

of black pepper. Drizzle in

the butter, pulsing until the

mixture is moistened and thor-

oughly combined. Set aside.

2 Season the lamb generously

all over with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium-

high heat, heat the olive oil.

Once hot, add the lamb, leav-

ing as much room between

the racks as possible. Cook,

turning as needed, until well

browned all over, 8–10 min-

utes total.

3 Transfer the lamb to a large

baking sheet (do not clean out

the skillet) with the meat’s

broader, flatter side facing up.

Brush the meat all over with

the mustard, then coat gen-

erously with the prepared

seaweed mixture, pressing all

over to help it adhere and con-

centrating most of the mixture

on the broad side (discard any

crumbs that do not adhere).

Cover the bones with foil.

4 Roast the lamb until the

bread crumbs are crispy and

the meat feels firmer to the

touch, 15–18 minutes for

medium-rare. If desired, broil

until the top of the coating

is lightly browned, 2–3 min-

utes more. Remove and let the

meat rest 5 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, make the sauce:

Heat the drippings in the

reserved skillet over medium-

high heat. Add the shallot and

cook, stirring, until softened,

2 minutes. Add the garlic and

cook, stirring constantly, until

fragrant, 30 seconds to a min-

ute. Stir in the tomato paste

and cook 30 seconds more.

Pour in the wine and raise the

heat to high; cook, scraping up

any browned bits from the bot-

tom of the pan, until the wine

is almost completely evapo-

rated, 2–3 minutes. Add the

stock and continue to cook

over high heat until reduced by

two-thirds, 3–4 minutes. Add

the butter and cook, stirring

or whisking constantly, until

melted. (Sauce should be thick

enough to coat the back of a

spoon.) Taste and adjust the

seasoning if needed. Strain the

sauce if desired and set aside.

6 Slice the lamb between the

bones to separate the chops.

Pour the sauce onto a large

platter, then nestle the lamb

chops into the sauce and serve

immediately.