Today’s recipe is a great weekend winter meal that combines grilled lamb chops with a tasty cider based butternut squash sauce.  Accompanying the lamb is sautéed spinach and an interesting coconut Calrose rice.  The recipe is from DiStefano Winery (Woodinville, WA) who suggest pairing the meal with their Syrah R wine.  

Grilled Lamb Chops with Cidered Butternut Squash Sauce 

Roasted Lamb Rack

• 3 Lamb Racks (8 bones each)
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400

Season lamb racks fairly liberally with salt and pepper

Place on a roasting rack and place in oven until interior temperature reaches 130 testing with a meat thermometer (very approximately 15 minutes)

Pull from oven and allow to rest for about five minutes before carving

Slice rack into chops and serve immediately 

Butternut Squash Sauce

• 1 Medium Butternut Squash (peeled, seeded, diced 1 inch cubes)
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion (peeled)
• 1 Medium Sized Carrot (peeled)
• 2 Cloves Garlic, halved
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Apple Cider
• 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 6 Large Slices Fresh Ginger, 1/4 inch thick
• 1 Tablespoon Whole Coriander
• 6 Whole Cardamom Pods
• 1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns
• 1/4 Pound Butter
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Toss squash in half of the oil and lightly season with salt and ground pepper and roast in 400 degree oven until lightly brown.

Dice carrots and onion (1/2 inch pieces).

Add carrots and onion to a sauce pot with remaining oil and garlic and cook on low heat until tender.

Tie ginger, coriander, cardamom and peppercorns in a cheesecloth pouch with twine.

Add water, cider, apple vinegar, spice bag and pumpkin to sauce pot.

Bring pot to simmer and cook for about 30 minutes.

Remove spice bag and puree sauce in blender.

Whisk in butter and season to taste with salt and pepper 

Coconut Calrose Rice

• 2 Cups Calrose Rice, a medium grain rice that sticks together well
  
• 14 oz Coconut Milk
• 22 oz Water
• 1/2 Tbsp Kosher Salt

Rinse calrose rice several times, until water runs clear. Drain.

Add all ingredients to a pot and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Poke a small hole in the center of the foil.

Turn on high heat until steam is jetting out of hole in foil.

Reduce heat to very low for 15 minutes.

Turn off and let sit for about five minutes covered.

Sauteed Spinach

• 1 Pound Cleaned Stemless Spinach
• 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Put large sauté pan on high heat until quite hot.

Add oil to pan (it should shimmer and smoke a little bit).

Add spinach and sauté until just wilted, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Season to taste with salt and pepper

About DiStefano Syrah R

Bright, juicy and appealing for its fresh plum, berry and mocha flavors; beautifully knit and lingering enticingly on a polished finish. A Syrah with real refinement. Drink now through 2012.

About DiStefano

Located in an industrial park, guests feel like they have stumbled onto a special discovery when they enter the DiStefano winery tasting room with its warm and inviting atmosphere, filled with antiques, fine paintings, and specialty items. Under the direction of Mark Newton, they have been making still wine in the Bordeaux style in small lots since 1990, using traditional methods, and applying gravity flow techniques for gentle handling of the grapes. He released a Sauvignon Blanc under the new “DiStefano” label, and in 1991 a Cabernet Sauvignon followed. In 1993 Newton began experimenting with terroir blending, the winemaking philosophy he continues to practice and advocate today with winemaker Hillary Sjolund.