Lamb chops with balsamic reduction and Chatham Hill Cabernet Franc

Williams on Wine recipe: Lamb chops with balsamic reduction and Chatham Hill Cabernet Franc

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

(Updated 3:35 am)

By Ed Williams
Special to the News & Record

When it opened in 1999, Chatham Hill Winery near the RDU Airport joined a second generation of wine producers in North Carolina focusing on European vinifera. Marek had a business model different from most others: He would own no vineyard but instead buy what was needed from grape growers.

Husband and wife owners Marek Wojciechowski and Jill Winkler, considered pioneers of the urban winery business model in NC, are today just as comfortable in that skin. "You might think not having a vineyard would be detrimental, but I think it's beneficial," Marek says. Waiting two to three years for a vineyard to mature is restrictive and slows response time when a niche presents itself. We have flexibility. It's easier for us to adjust to the trends."

Marek purchases North Carolina grapes, including those for his 2008 Cabernet Franc. The fruit was sourced from Winnbrose Vineyard, a grower near Yadkinville in the Yadkin Valley. To give this red a bit more complexity, Wojciechowski blended 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 percent Syrah. The wine spent 18 months in French and American oak barrels.

The thin-skinned Cabernet Franc grape provides immediate fruit flavors, minus the tannin and acidity of Cabernet Sauvignon. Black cherry and raspberry assert their flavors here, with just a hint of spice at the end.

Try it with this easy to prepare dish.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

4 lamb chops (3/4 inch thick)

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup minced shallots

1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. In a small bowl or cup, mix together the rosemary, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub this mixture onto the lamb chops on both sides. Place them on a plate, cover and set aside for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place lamb chops in the skillet, and cook for about 3 1/2 minutes per side for medium rare, or continue to cook to your desired doneness. Remove from the skillet, and keep warm on a serving platter.

3. Add shallots to the skillet, and cook for a few minutes, just until browned. Stir in vinegar, scraping any bits of lamb from the bottom of the skillet, then stir in the chicken broth. Continue to cook and stir over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half. Remove from heat, and stir in the butter. Pour over the lamb chops, and serve.