RECIPES American Lamb Loin In Guinness® and Clover Honey

Recipe from Chef Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja (Denver, Colorado)
4 servings
Preparation time:  1 hour     
Marinate time:  2 to 4 hours
Cooking time:  1-1/4 hours   

In saucepan, combine beer, honey, thyme and peppercorns.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until honey dissolves; chill.  Reserve 1-1/2 cups marinade for cipollini onions, reserve 1-1/2 cups of marinade for sauce.  Place lamb in sealable plastic bag and pour remaining chilled marinade over lamb.  Seal, refrigerate and marinate for 2 to 4 hours.  Remove lamb from marinade, discarding marinade.
 
In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add lamb and quickly brown on both sides, place in shallow roasting pan.  Roast lamb in 400°F oven and cook until desired doneness (about 16 to 18 minutes for medium-rare):  145°F for medium-rare, 160°F for medium and 170°F for well.  Cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.  Internal temperature will rise approximately 5 to 10 degrees upon standing.

To make sauce:  Pour reserved marinade for sauce and juice from cooked onions into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1-1/4 cups.  Add the lamb broth from demi glace and heat through; add butter, stirring until melted.  Season with salt and pepper, keep warm.

Tip:  Lamb or veal demi glace may be purchased at www.clubsauce.com or at Whole Foods Market.  Prepare according to package directions.

American Lamb Loin Marinated in Guinness® and Clover Honey
Page 2 of 3

Braised Cipollini Onions

                2        tablespoons olive oil
              16        cipollini onions, peeled
                2        cups reserved Guinness® marinade
                2        cups chicken broth
                2        tablespoons butter
                1        tablespoon clover honey
             1/2        teaspoon salt
             1/4        teaspoon freshly ground pepper

In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions, cook and stir until nicely browned on all sides.  Using slotted spoon transfer onions to a casserole dish with cover.  Pour off excess oil and deglaze the skillet with reserved 2 cups of Guinness® marinade; cook over medium-high heat until reduced by half to 1 cup.  Add chicken broth and bring to a boil; pour over onions in baking dish.  Cover and bake in 400°F oven until onions are tender, about 30 minutes.  Remove onions from juice and keep warm.  Reserve the juice for lamb sauce.  Just before serving, melt butter and honey in large skillet, add onions and cook over medium-high heat until nicely glazed; season with salt and pepper.

Hint:  Cipollini onions are sweet, yellow, flatly shaped onions.  If onions are smaller than 1-1/2-inch in diameter, increase the number of onions to 20 to 24.

Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes

         4 to 5        large Yukon Gold potatoes
                3        tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
                          Salt, to taste
                          Freshly ground pepper, to taste
                2        tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Cut potatoes into neat 3/4-inch squares.  Melt 1-1/2 tablespoons butter in large skillet; add half of the potatoes and cook over medium-high heat, tossing gently until browned lightly on all sides.  Repeat process preparing all potatoes.  Spread potatoes onto large jelly roll pan and season with salt and pepper.  Bake in 400° F oven until tender, about 10 minutes.  Keep warm and toss with chopped Italian parsley just before serving.

To serve:  Divide potatoes evenly among 4 warm plates.  Carve lamb loin and fan over potatoes; top with onions.  Drizzle sauce all around the plate and garnish with chervil sprigs.  Serve remaining sauce on the side.

American Lamb Loin Marinated in Guinness® and Clover Honey
Page 3 of 3

Wine Pairing Suggestion: Chef Jasinki suggests pairing Chardonnay with this dish.

Nutrients per serving: 1435 calories, 72 g protein, 133 g carbohydrates, 63 g total fat (39% calories from fat), 266 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 2724 mg sodium, 16 mg niacin, 0.46 mg vitamin B6, 4.95 mcg vitamin B12, 7 mg iron, 10 mg zinc. 

Recipe and image provided by the American Lamb Board