Rack of Lamb with Vegetable Bayaldi and Artichoke Gratin

I'm on a roll this weekend! Laurie is working overnights all weekend and she tells me she sleeps better during the day when she smells my awesome cooking. Well, I added the part about her telling me she sleeps better...and the awesome cooking...

In case no one has checked out my 'main' blog, I recently put up a post about our second Chicago experience that is worth the foodie read...This time we hit up Alinea (yep!), and the usuals. Check it out here! While I was waiting for my sauce to get happy, (shit, I think Emeril uses that term doesn't he? sorry), I made some pretty awesome sliders with quail egg, sriracha, and cabbage...check them out here.

So - This recipe is broken down into three different parts. The Bayaldi, the Artichoke Gratin, and the Lamb.

The Bayaldi was pretty simple. This dish came to mind as I had a buttload of yellow squash and zucchini from my CSA as well as a bunch of tomatoes that were ripe out on my back porch. Other than the eggplant, everything for this part of the dish was from the back yard or the CSA. Look at me...Mr. Farm-to-table. Just call me Dan Barber...(But I'll cut ya if you call me Alice Waters...)

I made the Bayaldi and the Gratin on Saturday as the book says you can assemble and cook it 1 day ahead..

I've never actually made a gratin before, but I eat the Parmesan one at Stage Left a lot. It's actualy pretty simple, just layer some thinly sliced (mandoline) potatoes with cream, S&P...bake. set. cut. heat. The only addition to this one was a layer of artichoke in the middle.

I recently read the book Knives at Dawn about Keller's boys doing the Bocus d'Or...and I remember one part about the sous chef turning artichokes. Well, let's hope Mr. Bocus never looks at me trying to turn one...

How can this be bad?

 So I did those two the night before. Today I went to make the lamb, and figured it would be an easy sear-off and then I see a sauce...that I didn't make...uh oh. I didn't feel like scrambling to the store on a Sunday to get run over by old ladies looking for the brisket that's on sale, so I scoured the house for ingredients. Looking at the sauce recipe, it was basically the same way I braise my short-ribs, so I've done it about 100x and usually have the ingredients on hand. I had everything on hand, with the exception of lamb bones, and I doubt even if I did go out today to find them, I'd be hard pressed or I'd have to spend out of my ears for the now overpriced neckbones (what gives? come on people keep those good cheap cuts a secret, lamb shank, short ribs, lamb neck, etc...)

I did have some beef marrow bones in the freezer, so I used those.

We threw the Bayaldi and the Gratin back in the oven to reaheat, meanwhile I prepped the lamb and seared it off.

For as much as I like meat, I sure suck at butchering. Are there any classes or anyone willing to teach me?

I tossed the lamb in the oven, pulled the gratin and the bayaldi out and waited for a few minutes for it to hit 128 (MY sweet spot)

I plated everything and opened up this bottle of wine (that I'd used for the lamb sauce). This wine was not the recommended pairing, and to be honest, I don't remember why I bought this wine, but I had it...and it was cheap, and it actually paired well.

One to match the book.

Thoughts: Laurie loved the sauce, but she's very familiar with it as I use the same exact recipe to make my short ribs (see- Chefs-at-Nicholas, you and I, we're like 'this'). The gratin was really good too. Nothing fancy, innovative or mind blowing, but I dig artichokes, and I'd never had them in a gratin before, so that was nice. The bayaldi, well, I think I undercooked it. It's texture was a little too much on the tooth. The flavor was also lacking. It could be two things. 1.) everything in the balaydi, aren't really my favorite things to eat (eggplant, zucchini). 2.) I didn't S&P between every layer. I don't think the recipe said to...but if you have the book and are going to make this, please do, it will make it a lot better. Laurie's comment on the Bayaldi "How the heck can you put something like this next to something like that (the gratin) and expect anyone to look at the dish not think the gratin is awesome and the simple veggies are just there because you need them, if I see this dish, I'm headed straight for the gratin!"

Overall a simple clean dish. It would be good to make for guests since most everything can be made ahead.

I have my basil oil 'steeping' in the fridge for tomorrows Heirloom Tomato Salad with Watermelon Water....so expect a post on that soon!