Lamb with Black Cherry Sauce

Give your taste buds something to smile about with this Indian dish.

-Courtesy of Everyday Indian: 100 Fast, Fresh, and Healthy Recipes (Whitecap Books; March 2009), by Bal Arneson

 The combination of black cherries and fennel seeds gives a great aroma to this elegant dish. Serve with rice and broccoli.

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients for Lamb:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

2 pounds rack of lamb

Ingredients for Rub:

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

 Preparation:

1. Combine all the rub ingredients in a bowl and rub the mixture over all the surface of the lamb. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Place seasoned lamb in the skillet and brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the lamb on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.

Ingredients for Sauce:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

2 teaspoons garam masala

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 14-ounce can pitted cherries

Preparation:

1. While the lamb is baking, prepare the sauce. Place the oil and asafoetida in a saucepan and cook for 5 seconds over medium-high heat. Mix in the garlic and fenugreek seeds and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the garam masala and cardamom. Cook for 10 seconds, and add the cherries, including the juice. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for 7 to 9 minutes.

2. Remove the sauce from the heat and process it using a food processor to thicken the sauce. Pour some sauce on a serving platter, place the lamb on top, and then pour the rest over the lamb.

Look for more lamb recipes in BettyConfidential's Recipe File.

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