This springtime lamb recipe from Ollie Dabbous certainly isn't your average Sunday roast, but if you're up for a challenge the resulting flavours will blow you away. The crispy potato cake, Slipcote cheese yoghurt and rich sauce are the perfect accompaniment to the lamb cannon and rib.
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Prepare the lamb ribs at least one day before serving. In a large container of water, whisk together all the ingredients for the brine until the salt is completely dissolved. Add the lamb belly and leave to brine for 2 hours
Rinse the lamb and dry thoroughly before placing in a vacuum bag. Seal and cook in the water bath for 16 hours
4
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7
5
Lightly season the lamb bones and roast on trays lined with baking parchment for approximately 30 minutes, until golden-brown. Meanwhile, place the tomatoes and a pinch of salt in a saucepan set over a medium heat. Cook until the tomatoes have thickened and reduced to 200g.
1.2kg
lamb bones, ideally ribs, chopped int 3cm pieces
Heat the oil in a pan and lightly colour the vegetables in separate batches, one at a time. They should still be raw within, but lightly coloured on the outside. Season each batch of vegetables with a small pinch of salt
In a large stock pot, combine the lamb, veal and chicken stocks and bring to the boil. Add the wine, reserving a tablespoon to one side, the reduced tomatoes, the vegetables and the roasted lamb bones. Simmer very gently for 1 hour. Pass the stock through a colander and then reduce by a quarter
150ml of white wine, boiled for 1 minute, 1tbsp reserved
8
In a small bowl, mix together the arrowroot and water into a slurry, then whisk into the stock and bring to the boil until thickened. Set to one side and allow to cool
1 tbsp of water
5g of arrowroot
9
In a separate bowl combine the reserved wine, chopped tomato, vinegar, herbs, garlic and lemon peel, then leave to marinate for 5–10 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve, making sure to squeeze as much juice out of the tomatoes as possible. Combine the tomato juice with the cooled stock. Pass the jus through a fine sieve to make sure it is as smooth as possible
When the lamb ribs are ready, allow to cool and refrigerate to set – this will allow for cleaner slicing
11
Cut the lamb into individual ribs, neatening off the edges and squaring up the meat. Glaze each rib in the lamb jus and reserve to one side
12
For the mint oil, bring the water to a rapid boil and add the salt. Using a large slotted spoon to assist you, blanch the herbs and baby spinach in small batches, cooking each batch for 30 seconds. As soon as each batch is done, plunge into a bath of ice water to refresh
Drain the blanched spinach and herbs well and place in the centre of a clean tea towel or muslin cloth. Twist the cloth to squeeze all of the liquid out of the leaves until they feel dry
14
Blend the herbs with the oils in a high-powered blender with a pinch of salt on the highest speed possible, until the oil turns bright green and the outside of the blender feels hot to the touch. Drain the oil through a sieve lined with two layers of muslin cloth, set over a bowl to catch the liquid
100g of high-quality olive oil, Ollie recommends Crete Gold
15
For the potato cake, preheat the oven to 100°C/gas mark ¼
16
Clarify the butter by gently warming it in a small saucepan until just melted. Add the thyme and infuse over a very low heat for 20 minutes. Strain through a sieve lined with muslin in order to remove all the small white particles of milk solids
Combine the melted strained butter with the salt and use it to coat the potatoes. Line the base of a small roasting tray or perspex dish (approximately 250mm x 150mm x 65mm) with greaseproof paper, then layer the potatoes neatly on top
Top the potatoes with another layer of grease proof paper and place another tray or dish of the same size on top. Place a heavy weight such as a cast-iron pan on top to weigh everything down and compress the potatoes
19
Place in an oven with a tray full of boiling water on the shelf below for 90 minutes. Pierce the potatoes with a skewer to check if they are tender and cooked through. Leave the dish to cool then chill in the fridge, keeping the weight on top
20
Once the potatoes have chilled and firmed up, remove and cut into slices 2cm wide x 3cm high x 7cm across, then refrigerate until needed
21
For the garlic oil, mix together the garlic and salt, then place in a pan with the vegetable oil. Heat until the garlic very gently starts to fry, then remove from the heat. Pour into another cold pan, then add the olive oil to prevent further cooking.
For the white onion purée, heat the garlic oil and vegetable oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and salt, then place the lid on the pan. Sweat for 30 minutes until softened but not coloured
Add the garlic, cream and crème fraîche and cook until completely reduced. Add the vinegar and lemon juice, blend the mixture until completely smooth then pass through a sieve. Place into a squeeze bottle and set aside until you’re ready to serve
Cut a crosshatch pattern into the fat of the lamb cannons and place in a very hot griddle to help crisp up and render the fat. Place in the fridge until cool enough to handle
Place each cannon into individual vacuum bags with 3 tablespoons of the garlic oil in each one. Seal and cook in the water bath for 20 minutes
6 tbsp of garlic oil
27
For the peas, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the peas, cook for 30 seconds then refresh in iced water. Blanch the mangetout in the same water for 30 seconds, then refresh in ice water
Remove the stringy fibre from the side of the sugar snaps and open them up. Stack neatly on kitchen paper to drain
29
Cut the turnip stems to 10cm and keep the tail on the bottom of the turnip. Place in a steamer, season with salt and steam for 3 minutes before refreshing in iced water
For the Slipcote yoghurt, mix together the yoghurt and the cheese, making sure they are thoroughly combined, and place into a squeeze bottle. If you make this in advance be sure to leave it out of the fridge to come to room temperature before serving
Light a barbecue and set it up for indirect cooking
32
To make the lemon dressing, mix together the lemon juice, vinegar, water sugar and salt, then use a hand blender to emulsify with the olive oil. Set aside
Remove the cannons from the bags and pat them dry with kitchen towel. Brush each canon with garlic oil and season well with salt
35
Colour the cannons all over in a searing hot pan then place on a barbecue over an indirect heat for approximately 5 minutes to add a smoky flavour. Rub them with bruised rosemary and rest well
36
Colour the glazed lamb ribs on all sides in a hot frying pan, brushing with some more of the lamb jus to glaze. Place under a hot grill until the glaze turns sticky and glossy
37
Deep-fry the potato cakes until crispy and lightly golden. Drain the potato cakes on kitchen paper and season lightly with salt
38
Slice each rested cannon of lamb into 4 equal pieces
39
Squeeze 1 tablespoon of Slipcote yoghurt onto the top left of the plate and 2 tablespoons of onion purée onto the bottom of the plate. Place 1 potato cake on the left and top with a turnip half
40
Place the lamb canon in the middle of the plate and a glazed lamb rib on the bottom. Sprinkle the onion purée with the dried clover
dried clover
41
Dress the pink purslane and peashoots lightly in the lemon dressing then scatter over and around the plate, creating height and volume
Warm 360ml of the jus in a pan and add 120ml of the mint oil, stirring gently to split the mint oil through the sauce. Spoon onto the plates. Place the peas and sugar snaps on the top of the plate next to the Slipcote yoghurt and serve
After quietly honing his craft in some of the world’s best kitchens, Ollie Dabbous exploded onto the London food scene with his eponymous restaurant in 2012. Today, he’s at the helm of Hide – one of the most ambitious culinary projects the city has ever seen – showcasing his iconic ingredient-led cooking in stunning surroundings.
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New season Herdwick lamb, spring vegetables and clover
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New season Herdwick lamb, spring vegetables and clover