Lamb Prosciutto with Anchovy Fritters and Salsa Verde

Starter
medium
6
30 minutes, plus overnight curing time and 24 hours cooking time for the lamb

PT30M

PT24H

Lamb and anchovies are a classic combination, but Graham Garrett takes it to the next level with this stunning starter. Lamb breast is cured, rolled and slow-cooked in the sous vide before being sliced wafer-thin, while the anchovies are dredged in batter and deep-fried. The punchy salsa verde marries everything together.

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Ingredients

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Lamb

2 lamb breasts, boned and trimmed
50g of sea salt
40g of golden caster sugar
10g of sweet smoked paprika
4 sprigs of thyme, chopped

Salsa verde

1/2 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 bunch of mint, finely chopped
2 sprigs of tarragon, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tbsp of capers, rinsed and chopped
1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar
100ml of rapeseed oil
100ml of extra virgin olive oil

Anchovy fritters

12 anchovy fillets, pickled
150g of plain flour
20g of baking powder
20g of cornflour
200ml of iced water
oil, for deep-frying

To serve

pea shoots
2 radishes, thinly sliced

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Method

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Begin by curing the lamb. Trim the breasts of any excess fat. Mix the salt, sugar, paprika and thyme together and rub all over the lamb breasts

2 lamb breasts, boned and trimmed
50g of sea salt
40g of golden caster sugar
10g of sweet smoked paprika
4 sprigs of thyme, chopped

Lay one lamb breast on top of the other, trim the ends to square them off and then wrap tightly in cling film. Place in the fridge to cure overnight

The next day, preheat a water bath to 65°C. Unwrap the breasts and wash off the cure, then pat dry and tightly roll the breasts together to form a cylinder. Secure very tightly with string, then place in a large vacuum bag and seal. Place in the water bath and cook for 24 hours

Once the lamb is cooked, leave to cool, remove from the vacuum bag and pat dry. You will be left with more lamb breast than you need for this recipe, but it can be incorporated into many other dishes or simply served as cold cuts

Preheat a deep pan of oil or deep-fat fryer to 180°C

oil, for deep-frying

To make the salsa verde, simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, taste for seasoning and set aside

1/2 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 bunch of mint, finely chopped
2 sprigs of tarragon, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tbsp of capers, rinsed and chopped
1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar
100ml of rapeseed oil
100ml of extra virgin olive oil

For the anchovy fillets, mix the flour, baking powder and cornflour together. Drizzle in the iced water until the batter is the consistency of single cream (you may not need to use all the water)

150g of plain flour
20g of baking powder
20g of cornflour
200ml of iced water

Dip the anchovies in the batter then carefully lower into the hot oil. Deep-fry for 1 minute, or until crisp and golden (you may need to work in batches)

12 anchovy fillets, pickled

To serve, use a meat slicer or very sharp knife to cut slices of lamb as thinly as possible. Arrange them into concentric circles on each plate, then top with a large spoonful of salsa verde in the middle. Place 2 anchovy fritters on top of each, then garnish with the pea shoots and radish slices

pea shoots
2 radishes, thinly sliced

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Graham Garrett

Garrett’s taste for savoury umami flavours means plenty of fish, rustic pork cuts and substantial game and fowl dishes. He also puts as much care into his desserts as the rest of his meals, and they often include unexpected touches - such as an almond cake soaked in Sauternes and peaches and cream made with vanilla Mascarpone.