Pan Seared Colorado Rack of Lamb with a Sweet Potato Purée served in a Baby Pumpkin and an Array of Baby Vegetables and Rosemary Jus
4 Servings

PREPARATION
Clean the rack of lamb by removing the excess fat and scraping the first 2 inches of the bones clean. Cook the mini pumpkins in boiling water for about 10 minutes, pull them out and immediately put them in ice water to cool down and preserve their bright orange color. Cut off the top of the pumpkins and empty out the seeds, reserving the tops. In the same boiling water, cook all of the baby vegetables until tender (5 minutes maximum). Remove and ice.

Peel and dice the sweet potatoes in large pieces. Place them in cold water with a pinch of salt and cook them thoroughly. Use a potato mill or a large fork to mash them. Add melted butter, heavy cream, chopped sage, and salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a large sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil and a touch of butter. Season the racks with salt and pepper and sear them on the meat side first then turn them over and cook in the oven to your liking (at 350° for 15 minutes turns out medium rare). When the lamb is done, remove it from the pan. Make the sauce in the same pan and add the excess fat removed from the bones. Sauté until lightly brown. Add chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Reduce cognac to a syrup, deglaze with the lamb stock and reduce about half way. Remove from fire and add the rosemary.

In a separate sauté pan, melt butter and sauté baby veggies with salt and pepper and a touch of garlic. Warm the mini pumpkins in the oven for a few minutes and pipe the sweet potato mash into them. Arrange the lamb, mini pumpkins, vegetables and sauce on the plate to your liking. Enjoy!

Sommelier Selection: Château Lynch Bages, '96