Saddle of Lamb with Ratatouille and Basil Oil

For the lamb:

• 1 tablespoon pure olive oil
• 1 trimmed saddle of lamb, about 3 pounds, cut into 4 equal pieces

For the lamb sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
  

  For the lamb sauce:

  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the onion, carrot, mushroom stems, and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until barely tender. Add the herbs, peppercorns, and lamb stock, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by about half. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Remove the bay leaf.

  For the lamb:

  Preheat the oven to 450°F.

  In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over high heat until just smoking sear the lamb on all sides. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast, meaty-side up, 5 minutes for rare, 6 to 7 minutes for medium, or 8 minutes for well done. Allow to rest 5 minutes before carving.

  To serve:

  Mound the ratatouille in the center of 4 serving plates. Slice the lamb thin and fan it over the ratatouille. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of sauce around the lamb and drizzle about 1 tablespoon of basil oil around that.

  Variations:

  For lamb sauce, substitute Roasted Garlic-Black Olive Oil combined with a little basil or rosemary oil.

  For basil oil, substitute Rosemary Oil.

  For an elegant presentation, mold the ratatouille in a 5-inch ring and arrange the sliced lamb on top.