This exquisite lamb chump recipe from David Everitt-Matthias uses the overlooked cut to dazzling effect, creating a dish bursting with spring flavours. The wild garlic buds in this recipe are a stroke of genius and can be foraged.
First, make the salted wild garlic buds, as these will need to be prepared 2-3 weeks in advance. Check over the buds, make sure they are free of stalk and rinse thoroughly. Place the salt and water into a small saucepan, bring to the boil then remove from the heat and allow to cool
Place the wild garlic buds in a sterilised jar and pour over the brine solution. Keep in a cool dark place for 2-3 weeks. If not using immediately, drain the buds from the brine, place in another sterilised jar and cover with olive oil. Keep in the fridge until needed
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To make the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan and add the lamb trimmings, shallots, button mushrooms and garlic
Add the lamb stock, simmer for 30 minutes, then pass through a fine sieve into a pan. Boil until the sauce has reduced to 200ml, season to taste and keep warm
Meanwhile, cook the wild garlic shoots. Heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the wild garlic shoots, along with a few tablespoons of water. Keep turning the garlic over in the pan until the leaves are tender. Drain, season to taste and keep warm until needed
To prepare the chumps of lamb, heat the 30g of olive oil in a heavy cast iron frying pan. Season the lamb and brown on the fatty side until golden. Flip over, add 15g of butter to baste and cook on the other side for 1 minute
4 chumps of lamb, bones removed, approximately 225g-250g each
Flip the chumps back onto the skin side and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove the meat, season and allow to rest for 4-8 minutes in a warm place
Dry off the sweetbreads and heat the remaining oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan. Season the sweetbreads and add to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes until golden, turning often
To cook the morels, heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan until foaming. Add the morels and cook over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Drain and season to taste
To serve, cut the sweetbreads and rested lamb chumps in half. Place 1 slash of goat's curds across the plate, add the lamb and sweetbreads. Gently reheat the lamb jus
100g of Brock Hall Farm goat's curd
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Dress the plate with the morels, wild garlic shoots and salted buds. Add the small raw wild garlic leaves, drizzle with lamb jus and serve
David Everitt Matthias does not do anything by halves: he opened his restaurant, Le Champignon Sauvage, over twenty five years ago and hasn’t missed a service since, he writes his own cookbooks and forages himself for many of the ingredients that appear in his dishes.
