This advanced recipe from Nicholas Balfe uses two different forms of hogget, which is the culinary term for a young sheep that is one to two years old. It's a great spring dish to make the most of this under-appreciated cut of lamb. Wild garlic can be found in some greengrocers in the spring, but is hard to find at other times of the year. You could substitute Chinese chives for a similar flavour.
To make the braised hogget shoulder and potato terrine, first preheat the oven to 100°C/gas mark ½
Sweat down the mirepoix in a large pan with a little oil until caramelised, about 15 minutes
Season the hogget shoulder all over and brown in a large pan along with mirepoix
Cover the hogget and mirepoix with stock (top up with water if necessary), and braise in the oven at 100°C for 8 hours
Once cooked, allow the shoulder to cool then strain the hogget stock through a fine mesh sieve
Skim the fat from the hogget stock and then set the stock aside
Shred the meat and season it with salt and pepper. Mix the meat with some rendered hogget fat, strained hogget stock and the parsley and wild garlic
Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas mark 2
Toss the potatoes with the remaining warm, rendered fat
Fill just under half of a gastro with sliced potato, then add a layer of the hogget shoulder meat. Top the shoulder meat with another layer of potatoes, going right to the very top of the tray
Cover with another layer of parchment and a lid, and bake at 150°C for 2 hours or until tender
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Press the terrine overnight in the refrigerator by topping it with a tray, and then adding about 5kg of weight (tins, bottles of oil etc.)
The next day, portion the terrine into 5cm x 5cm x 2cm squares
To make the hogget jus, sweat down the onions, carrot, celery and garlic in a large pan with a little oil until caramelised, about 15 minutes
Add the tomato paste and cook out for a few minutes. Add the thyme and rosemary, then the wine and bring to the boil
Add the reserved hogget stock from braising the shoulder, turn the heat down to a simmer and reduce by one third (this will take at least one hour)
While the sauce reduces, make the anchovy mayonnaise. Blend the anchovies, garlic and thyme leaves together in a food processor until a thick paste is formed
Add the egg yolk and mustard and blend until smooth. Slowly pour in the oil in a steady stream, while the machine is running. Season with sherry vinegar
Pass the reduced sauce through a chinois
Return the strained stock to a pan and reduce it by half, skimming any scum that forms as you go
Remove the jus from the heat and add the lemon thyme. Infuse the jus with the lemon thyme for 30 minutes
While the jus infuses, make the salsa verde. Finely chop all the herbs, capers and cornichons and mix together with the mustard, oil and vinegar. Season to taste and set aside
Pass the jus through a chinois again and whisk in about 100g of the rendered hogget fat and Muscatel vinegar to taste
When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 150°C/ gas mark 2 for roasting the hogget loin
Season each hogget portion all over with salt
Heat a sauté pan over a medium heat with some rendered hogget fat
Place the meat fat side down in the pan and render out some of the fat (about 3-5 minutes, depending how thick the fat is)
Add the butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary. Brown the loin on all sides, basting continuously with the rendered fat
Transfer the loin to the 150°C oven until the internal temperature reaches 54°C, about 10 minutes. Set aside to rest for 3-6 minutes
Sear the cut sides of the pressed hogget shoulder and potato terrine in a pan with a little rendered fat. Transfer to the oven to warm through
Meanwhile, preheat a barbecue or grill to searing hot
Grill the sprouting broccoli on the barbecue or under the grill, basting it in more hogget fat as you go
Season the broccoli with salt and dress in some of the wild garlic salsa verde
To serve, place a pound coin-size blob of anchovy mayonnaise in the centre of the plate
Slice the roast hogget in half and place it cut side up on the plate
Put the potato terrine on one side and the barbecued broccoli on the other. Dress the meat with the jus and serve immediately
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