Herb Crusted Rack Of Lamb With Roasted

For the herb crust: 1/2 cup Italian parsley

1/4 cup chives

2 tablespoons rosemary

2 tablespoons sage

2 tablespoons savory

2 tablespoons thyme

2 tablespoons garlic puree

1 cup soft butter

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Salt to taste Pepper to taste For the pepper ragout: 1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

2 Anaheim chiles

1 fresh pimento

1 red onion

8 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon lavender

Salt to taste Pepper to taste 2 tablespoons wild honey

2 tablespoons basil leaves

For the socca nicoise: 1 cup ground chick pea flour

2 1/2 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 egg

Salt to taste Pepper to taste For the tapenade: 1 cup pitted late harvest olives

1 fillet anchovy

2 tablespoons basil

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil -- (1/2 to 3/4)

Milled pepper to taste For the lamb: 2 eighteen ounce racks of lamb

Salt to taste Pepper to taste

Chop all picked herbs and blend in a food processor with other ingredients until it is smooth and homogenous. Reserve in refrigerator or freezer. Preparation of the pepper ragout:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Prelight a mesquite grill and let embers cool. Place all the peppers, chiles, and onion on the grill and char well. Place the garlic cloves in a pouch of aluminum foil and roast over coals until lightly golden brown. Once peppers are charred, place them in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to steam for ten minutes. Remove the skins from the chiles, pepper and onion and cut into large chunks, after removing any seeds or white membranes. Cut the garlic into large chunks and mix with peppers and onions.

In a heavy sauce pot, add the olive oil and heat over a medium fire and sweat the pepper mixture. Add the lavender, salt, pepper and honey and bake, uncovered in oven until the liquid from the peppers has reduced. Remove and cool to room temperature, adjust seasonings and add whole leaves of basil.

Preparation of the socca nicoise:

Place flour in a mixing bowl and add the milk in a steady stream until smooth. Add olive oil, egg, salt and pepper. Strain and let rest for two hours in refrigerator. Consistency should be similar to crepe batter. Preparation of the tapenade:

Puree all ingredients in a food processor, not too smooth but should remain chunky. Let sit at room temperature.

Presentation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Heat a heavy saute pan and add a drizzle of olive oil over high heat. Get oil to smoking point. Season the racks of lamb and sear well on all sides, place in oven and cook for fifteen minutes until rare. Cut a piece of the herb butter and place on top of the rack of lamb. Put back in oven and cook another five to seven minutes until medium rare and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to rest for five minutes. Cut rack in half, between the chops and reserve warm.

In a small nonstick pan, heat the olive oil over medium to high heat and add the chick pea batter. Color well on both sides. Place on a warm plate and make as many as you would like.

Place a small pile of the roasted pepper ragout in the center, place the rack of lamb on top and drizzle around with tapenade. Garnish with fried Italian parsley. Serve immediately.