Courtesy of head chef William Drabble, Seven Park Place , London, UK
INGREDIENTS
1 loin of Lune Valley Lamb off the bone
Parsley crumb
1 clove of garlic
1 bunch of freshly picked curly parsley
Olive oil
Breadcrumbs
2 egg whites
1 middle neck of Lune Valley Lamb on the bone
1 onion
2 carrots
2 sticks of celery
1 small leek
6 cloves of garlic
3 sprigs of rosemary
3 litres of good chicken stock
1 tblsp tomato paste
300ml olive oil
Confit lamb breast
1 breast of lamb de-boned and skin removed
Salt
Pepper
Rosemary
Dauphinoise Potatoes
400g of Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
1 garlic clove, crushed
250ml of whole milk
250ml of double cream
4 sprigs of thyme
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Puree
4 bulbs of garlic
300 ml double cream
Salt
Tomato Confit Garnish
Tomatoes – 300gr
Icing sugar – to sprinkle
Thyme – to sprinkle
Spinach
Oil for deep-frying
A little butter
METHOD
- First job is to braise the middle neck of lamb
- Put some olive oil into a casserole dish, large enough to hold the whole middle neck of lamb
- Caramelise the lamb all over and put to one side
- Add a splash of olive oil into the casserole dish
- Add the carrots, onions, garlic, celery and leek and cook slowly until it starts to caramelise
- Add to it, the tomato puree and reduce down. Then include the chicken stock, and add in the lamb. Bring to boil, add a tight fitting lid and cook in a low oven (about 120˚C) for 3-4 hours
- You will be able to tell when the lamb is cooked as it will simply fall away from the bone
- Remove the lamb from the liquid and put to one side
- Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve and leave to settle
- Skim the fat from the sauce and add the liquid back to a pan and reduce for the sauce
- Remove the bones from the middle neck
- Then roll the middle neck into a long sausage shape in cling film and refrigerate
- Second job is to take the lamb breast and lightly season it with salt and pepper. Roll it quite tightly then place onto cling film and include some sprigs of rosemary around the lamb. Wrap the lamb in cling film about twelve times
- When wrapped in cling film – then wrap it in tin foil four or five times
- Place the lamb into an oven at 160˚C for 10 – 15 minutes then turn down the oven to 110˚C and cook the lamb slowly for a further 3½ hours until tender
- When cooked, leave to cool until cool enough to handle
- Remove it from the foil and cling film (do this on a tray as a lot of fat will of come out of the lamb) then remove the sprigs of rosemary and place it onto a fresh piece of cling film and roll it firmly six or seven times
- Place onto a tray and refrigerate until set firm. Once cooled, remove the cling film and slice into pieces about 1cm thick. Pass through flour, egg and breadcrumbs and deep fry before serving
- Third Job – To make the parsley crumb, place the garlic, parsley and enough olive oil to puree the mixture like a thick pesto. Add the breadcrumbs, a little at a time, until you get a green coloured bread crumb that is not sticking together
- To cook the loin, season the lamb, roll it in egg white then parsley crumb and place it into a pan with the melted butter and just seal the bread crumbs onto the lamb. Place into the oven at 180˚C for about 3 – 4 minutes
- Remove from oven and rest
- To prepare the potato dauphinoise, finely slice the potatoes
- Then combine the cream, milk, thyme, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and leave to infuse
- Lay the potatoes inside a small oven dish lined with baking paper, being sure to overlap each layer as you go
- Preheat the oven to 165˚C
- Pour enough of the cream mixture over the potatoes to cover and bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes or until slightly golden on top and tender through the middle
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Pressing lightly when cool, remove from the dish and cut to whatever shape and size you require
- Tomato confit – remove the skin from the tomatoes, cut them into quarters and remove the seeds. Lay them out on a tray and sprinkle with olive oil, icing sugar, salt and thyme. Place in the oven at 90 ˚C until semi dry. This largely depends on the quality and size of the tomatoes
- To reheat the middle neck, slice it about 2 ½ cm thick, remove the cling film and place into a shallow sided pan. Add a little of the reduced lamb jus and a small knob of butter
- Bring to boil and place into an oven at 160˚C. Be sure to keep glazing the meat with the sauce until it coats it and it becomes shiny, for about 10 -15 minutes
- To make the garlic purée, peel the garlic and place into a large pan of lightly salted water. Bring to the boil and cook until soft
- Drain off the garlic and put into a pan. Add the double cream and a little seasoning. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce until the cream starts to thicken (be careful as it will burn easily)
- Liquidise and pass through a fine sieve
- Reheat the potato dauphinoise in the oven set to 180˚C until hot, 5-10 minutes. Plate immediately
- To serve the dish – you should have your middle neck hot and glazed, your loin cooked and rested in a warm place, and the breast ready to deep fry for 2 – 3 minutes until golden brown
- Spinach – wash 150g of spinach and place a knob of butter in the frying pan and wilt. Add a pinch of salt to season to the top of the dauphinoise potato.