Equipment
Ingredients
Lamb
- 600 g lamb loin fillets, trimmed of silverskin
- 30 ml grapeseed oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Leek & Tarragon Sauce
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, washed thoroughly and sliced into thin rounds
- 45 g unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 80 ml dry white wine
- 120 ml chicken stock
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 10 g fresh tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
- 5 ml lemon juice
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 545 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Fat
- 41 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 1214 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 166 mg
- Potassium
- 700 mg
- Calcium
- 117 mg
- Iron
- 3.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 57 mg
- Phosphorus
- 329 mg
- Zinc
- 4.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 263 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.21 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.33 mg
- Niacin
- 8.3 mg
- Folate
- 3 mcg
- Water
- 182 g
- Alcohol
- 2 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Slice the lamb loin into medallions approximately 3-4cm thick. Pat them dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Allow to sit at room temperature while preparing the vegetables.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the sliced leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are completely soft and sweet but not browned.
Add the minced garlic to the leeks and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant. Remove the leek mixture from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
Wipe the pan out if needed or use a clean one. Heat the grapeseed oil over high heat until shimmering. Carefully place the lamb medallions in the pan. Sear undisturbed to develop a crust.
Flip the medallions and sear the other side. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 52°C (125°F) for medium-rare or 57°C (135°F) for medium. Transfer lamb to a warm plate to rest loosely covered with foil.
Discard excess fat from the pan but leave the browned bits (fond). Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by half.
Add the chicken stock and heavy cream to the pan. Bring to a simmer and let it reduce until slightly thickened (nappant consistency).
Return the cooked leeks to the sauce to warm through. Stir in the fresh tarragon and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary. Any resting juices from the lamb plate should be poured into the sauce.
Spoon the creamy leek sauce onto plates. Arrange the lamb medallions on top of the sauce. Garnish with a sprig of fresh tarragon if desired.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to tender medallions is the rest period. Do not cut into the meat immediately after searing, or the juices will run out, leaving the meat dry.
- If you cannot find lamb loin fillets, a rack of lamb can be cut into double chops and cooked similarly, though the timing may increase slightly due to the bone.
- Tarragon has a strong anise flavor; if you are sensitive to it, start with half the amount and add more to taste, or substitute with chives for a milder onion profile.
- Ensure the leeks are cooked 'fondue' style—slowly until they melt. They should provide a texture contrast to the firm sear of the meat.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store sauce and meat separately if possible to prevent overcooking the lamb upon reheating.
Reheating: Gently warm sauce on stovetop over low heat. Slice cold lamb thinly to eat cold, or flash-warm in the sauce for 30 seconds only.
Troubleshooting
Leeks taste gritty
Cause: Sand trapped in the leek layers was not washed out properly
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked into the sauce
Prevention: Slice leeks first, then submerge in a bowl of cold water and lift them out, leaving sediment at the bottom
Sauce splits (looks oily)
Cause: Boiled too vigorously after adding high-fat ingredients or reduction went too far
Fix: Add a teaspoon of cold water or cream and whisk vigorously off the heat
Prevention: Maintain a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, when reducing cream
Cultural Context
This dish draws heavily from French bistro cooking, specifically the pairing of 'agneau' (lamb) with 'estragon' (tarragon), a classic flavor affinity in French gastronomy. The use of a cream reduction with leeks (poireaux) reflects the cooking of Northern France, where dairy and alliums are staples.
