American Lamb Loin with Eggplant-Orange Puree

For the lamb: In a blender, combine the thyme, rosemary, garlic, shallots, parsley, and oil. Puree until smooth and pour the mixture into a bowl. Rub the marinade on both sides of the lamb loins and place them in a deep, flat dish. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Remove the loins from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Pat the lamb dry with paper towels.

Heat the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add the lamb loins and quickly brown them on each side. Remove them from the pan and allow to cool. Place the loins in a shallow roasting pan and roast for 15 to 24 minutes or to desired degree of doneness: 145ºF for medium-rare, 160ºF for medium, or 170ºF for well. Remove the lamb from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

For the puree: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise. Brush the cut sides of the eggplant with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place them in a baking pan and roast for 1 hour; set aside.

Remove the zest from the oranges and set aside. Juice the oranges, reserving the juice. In a small saucepan, combine the juice and zest. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the juice is reduced by two-thirds. Let cool.

Scoop out the cooled eggplant, discarding the skins. In a food processor, puree the eggplant and the butter. Add the orange juice, hazelnut oil, and sugar and process until smooth. Keep warm.

To serve: Place one-quarter of the eggplant puree in the center of a salad-size plate. Slice the lamb into 1/2-inch thick slices and arrange them on top of the puree. Garnish the top with orange wedges and sprigs of thyme, if desired.