Herb crusted lamb chump, liquorice confit lamb neck, caramelised fennel, capers and ‘spice of angels’

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Will Holland's spectacular recipe combines lamb neck fillet and chump with tender confit fennel, capers and luxurious Pommes Anna. Holland sources his lamb from the Preseli Hills in Pembokeshire, where the hilly, coastal grazing adds a unique flavour to the meat.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Lamb chump and neck

Lamb sauce

Pomme Anna

Herb crumb

Confit fennel and capers

To serve

Equipment

  • Mandoline
  • Silicone paper
  • Sous vide equipment
  • Food processor

Method

1
To begin, rub the lamb neck fillets with the salt, rosemary, garlic and liquorice root and marinate for 12 hours in the fridge
2
After 12 hours, preheat a water bath to 75°C. Brush the excess marinade from the lamb necks and vacuum seal them with the lamb fat. Place in the water bath for 10 hours, then remove from the water and reduce the heat to 57°C. Vacuum seal the lamb chumps and place in the water bath for 40 minutes
3
To make the lamb sauce, heat the oil in a wide-based saucepan over a high heat. When the pan is hot, add the lamb trimmings and fry until browned on all sides. Do not stir too much during the process or the pan will lose its heat
  • 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
  • 1000g of lamb trimmings, cut into 1 inch pieces
4
Remove the lamb from the pan and add the vegetables. Fry until evenly coloured but not burnt. Return the lamb to the pan and add the rosemary, garlic and stocks
5
Cook for 30 minutes over a medium heat, skimming away any impurities that rise to the surface. Strain through a fine sieve and return to a small, clean pan. Reduce until a thin sauce consistency is achieved, skimming when necessary. Season to taste and chill over iced-water until ready to use
6
Preheat the oven to 165°C/gas mark 3. Line a deep baking tray with silicone paper
7
To make the pomme Anna, peel and thinly slice the potatoes on a mandoline. Place the sliced potatoes in a colander and toss with a large pinch of salt. Leave to stand for 10 minutes
8
Meanwhile, add the lamb fat to a pan and heat gently to melt. Evenly spread one layer of potato slices in the lined baking tray. Brush with melted lamb fat, then repeat this process until it is 15 layers deep. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown on top and a knife goes easily through the potato
9
Remove the tray from the oven and top with a sheet of baking parchment. Place a tray slightly smaller than the baking tray on top and evenly distribute weights on top. Leave to cool to room temperature and then transfer to the fridge to set - this will take approximately 3 hours
10
To make the herb crumb, simply blend all of the ingredients in a food processor until you achieve a fine, green crumb. Set aside until required
11
For the confit fennel and capers, remove the core from the fennel and cut into slices. Finely chop the fennel fronds and reserve until required
12
Place the sliced fennel in a pan and add enough olive oil to cover. Place on the hob over a low heat for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until soft. Drain the oil and return the pan to a medium heat, cooking until the fennel is lightly caramelised. Stir in the capers and lemon juice and finish with the chopped fennel fronds
13
When completely cold and set, cut the pomme Anna into portion sized chunks. Add a dash of oil to a pan over a medium heat and fry until golden brown and crispy. Meanwhile, gently reheat the lamb sauce
  • oil
14
To finish the dish, preheat a frying pan until hot. Remove the cooked lamb chumps from the vac pac bag, dry on kitchen towel then briefly sear on all sides. Remove from the pan and brush the fat of the lamb with the mustard
15
Sprinkle the herb crumb generously over the mustard. Add a mound of the fennel and capers to each plate and a piece of the pomme Anna. Carve the lamb neck and chump, place a portion onto each plate and garnish each dish with a good pinch of fennel pollen and a few sprigs of fennel cress. Spoon over some lamb sauce and serve immediately
First published in 2015

Will Holland's career path was set at age fourteen, at Bristol's Swallow Hotel under Michael Kitts. After training at college, Holland worked with Michelin-starred chefs at the Homewood Park Hotel and at Gravetye Manor Hotel.

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