Marinated American Lamb Tenderloin and Blood Orange Salad
Recipe by Chef Edward Leonard, CMC, Director of Culinary Operations, The Polo Club of Boca Raton (Fla.)
Courtesy of American Lamb Board

Ingredients

1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 medium-sized bunch chocolate mint
1 red chili
1/2 cup roasted sesame oil
2 limes, juiced
1 tsp. tumeric powder
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
pinch ground cloves
2 1/2 lbs. American Lamb tenderloin, trimmed
1/2 cup clarified butter
8 blood or regular oranges
1/2 cup fresh dried cilantro
1/2 cup fresh dried pineapple mint
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
to taste coarse sea salt
1/2 cup Greek natural yogurt
3 Tbsp. pomegranate puree
1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Procedure

• In a bowl, toss onion, mint, chili, oil, lime juice, turmeric, fennel and cloves; mix well.  Add tenderloins; toss well.  Place in a vacuum bag; vacuum and marinate for 1 hour (or use large plastic bag and marinate for 2 hours).
• Remove lamb tenderloins from marinade.  In a heavy-bottomed pan, add butter.  Sauté lamb until brown on all sides; baste with butter while cooking for 6 to 10 minutes until medium-rare.  Place tenderloins on a rack; keep warm.
• Peel oranges to remove white pith; slice them into even rounds.  In a food processor, blend cilantro, mint and sugar into a fine powder; place through a sifter.  Arrange orange slices on serving plates; sprinkle with sugared herb mixture to season well.  Scatter pomegranate seeds over the oranges.
• Slice lamb tenderloins; place over the salad, drizzle with vinegar and sprinkle with salt.
• Mix yogurt, puree and brown sugar.  Spoon yogurt into a piping bag or squeeze bottle with a small nozzle; drizzle generously over the fruit and lamb.