Lamb Three Ways with Autumnal Garden Vegetables

Method:

Stuffed Lamb Flank

– Place a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat, then add the onions and lightly fry for 3/4 minutes without browning. Add the garlic & thyme fry for a further two minutes until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook till dry, before finally adding the diced bread. Set aside.

– Combine all the lamb trimmings, ground mace and egg in a food processor and process until they form a coarse paste (about 45 to 60 seconds).

– Tip this mix into a clean bowl and add the onion, garlic & mushroom mix to this along with the diced suet and kidneys. Mix well and adjust seasoning.

– Place the flank, skin side down on a clean chopping board, and season well with salt and pepper. Smooth all of the mix over the entire flank, roll the whole piece and tie with butchers string in about 12 places. You should tie the lamb just tight enough to keep the rolled shape and to ensure that the stuffing will not leak out.

– Place the rolled flank (uncovered in a dish) in the refrigerator for at least two hours – overnight (you want the outside to dry a bit and the inside to marinate).

– Preheat fan oven  170°C  and bring the flank to room temperature.

– Heat a large skillet over medium high heat; season the flank on all sides generously with salt and pepper and brown lightly, in a little oil, on all sides.

– Place the flank in a roasting tray, brush with pan juices, and roast for 15 minutes.

– Take the flank out of the oven and pour over the white wine, return to the oven.

The full cooking time for the flank should be around 1 hour 15 minutes but throughout the cooking period the lamb should be basted in its own juices every 15\20 minutes.

– After the cooking time is up check the juices run clear and set aside.

– Cut the stuffed flank into 2 centimetres thick pieces and put on parchment paper. Brush with butter to re-heat prior to serving.

Lamb Rump

– Heat a pan on the stove with a little olive oil till smoking and add the seasoned rump flesh side down and sear for around 1 minute.

– Turn skin side down and place in a pre heated fan oven at 200°C. Cook for around 12/14 minutes (for medium/rare) then take out of the oven and set aside to rest the meat before plating up.

Lamb Cutlets

– Heat a pan on the stove with a little olive oil till smoking and add the seasoned cutlets fat side down holding the bones in your hand till the fat has browned nicely.

– Turn the cutlets flesh side down in the pan and sear both sides (around two minutes each side) then set aside to rest the meat before plating up.

Garlic Pommes Mousseline

– Put the potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down slightly and cook for approx 30/35 minutes.

– While the potatoes are cooking place another two separate pots (one with the butter and half a bulb of garlic/the other with the cream and half a bulb of garlic) and heat gently on the stove to infuse.

– Once the potatoes are cooked drain in a colander and set aside to dry out for 2/3 minutes.

– Put the potatoes through a ricer, add to a mixing bowl and set the mixer on it’s lowest speed.

– Slowly add a little of the garlic infused butter and then a little of the cream infusion in that order, repeating each until the potato mix binds together but is slightly sloppy in consistency.

– Scoop this potato mixture in to a piping bag, set aside and keep warm in the oven in a low oven till serving.

The Vegetables

– Put the whole beetroots in a pot of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and cook for a further 25/30 minutes or until cooked.

– Refresh in cold water, top and tail the beetroots and cut with a ring cutter with a circumference of around 4 cm then slice this into disks around half a centimetre thick using a mandolin. Brush with olive oil and a light sprinkle of salt and keep warm till serving.

– Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and add the broccoli spears. Boil for 3 ½ minutes and refresh in iced water. Pat with a paper towel and set aside till serving.

– Heat a sauté pan with a little olive oil till hot and add the mushrooms. Sauté for around 2-3 minutes and keep warm till serving.

Rosemary and Crab Apple Jus

– Finely chop 2 shallots and sweat off with a little olive oil in pot until translucent. Add the rosemary and Port wine.

– Reduce until liquor has been absorbed into shallots, add the fresh stock and crab apple jelly, bring to boil and reduce until sauce coats the back of a spoon, strain & whisk in the butter, keep warm till serving.

To serve, reheat the vegetables. Pipe the pomme mouseline onto a warm plate, placing the beetroot alongside. At one end of the potatoes add the stuffed flank, topped with a few slices of the rump. To finish the trio, place the cutlets alongside. Arrange the broccoli around the plate with a scattering of chanterelle mushrooms. Spoon over a little sauce on top of the meat, with a little around the plate. Garnish with a few pea shoots and serve immediately!