Rack of Lamb
Rack of Lamb
The quality of meat depends very much upon the cattle from which it is sourced. This recipe calls for an Aurora rack of lamb, which many believe to be one of the finest suppliers of gourmet lamb cuts. The method of cooking employed here is known as sous-vide; to cook the lamb at low temperature for an extended period of time, thus ensuring succulent perfection in every bite. Palm oil is utilised for its delicate, almost neutral flavour, thus allowing for the infusement of the marinade without off-setting the herbacious aroma. Serve with fresh polenta and vegetables for nothing short of a magnificent dining experience.
INGREDIENTS:
For Lamb Shank Stew
- 1.8 kg aurora rack of lamb
- 60 days grain-fed
- 65 g cherry tomato
- 65 g yellow zucchini
- 65 g baby carrot
- 65 g Australia asparagus
- 65 g pumpkin
- 65 g green zucchini
For lamb marination
- 300 ml red palm oil
- 20 g fresh rosemary
- 20 g spring onion
- 20 g fresh thyme
- Sea salt to taste
Wild mushrooms
- 40 g trumpet mushroom
- 40 g morel mushroom
- 40 g ceps mushroom
- 40 g chanterelle mushroom
For tapenade
- 20 g green olive
- 20 g black olive
- 20 g kalamata olive
- 10 g garlic, chopped
- 10 g fresh rosemary, chopped
- 10 g dijon mustard
- Sea salt to taste
For polenta
- 600 g polenta flour
- 180 ml fresh milk
- 140 g butter
- 20 g black truffle, chopped
- 20 ml truffle oil
- Salt to taste
To garnish
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh purple shinso
- Celery leaves
METHOD:
To make polenta
- Bring the milk to boil over the stove. Add polenta flour slowly in small batches, mixing with a wooden spoon to avoid clumping. Remove the polenta from fire, then add 60 g of butter and whisk until is smooth. Set aside until required. Just before serving, stir the remaining butter, chopped black truffles and truffle oil into the polenta.
To prepare vegetables and wild mushrooms
- Sweat some onions with butter, then sauté each type of vegetable individually to avoid over-cooking or under-cooking.
- Set sautéed pumpkins and carrots in a pot and pour vegetable stock in. Cover the pan with parchment paper and allow to simmer until the vegetables acquire the right texture. Drain and set aside.
To marinate lamb
- Trim and clean the rack of lamb. Mix together red palm oil, rosemary needles, thyme and chopped spring onion, then add kosher salt to taste. In a non-reactive bowl, mix marinade with lamb rack, making sure to rub the herbs into the meat. Insert internal temperature probe inside rack of lamb, then place into clean, food-safe plastic wrap and seal to prepare for sous-vide cooking.
To cook lamb
- Sous vide the lamb at a temperature of 100oC, with 50% humidity for 11 minutes, or until the internal temperature probe reads 38oC. Remove the lamb rack, then sear quickly over high heat before coating with a layer of tapenade.
- Plate the lamb rack with truffle polenta, yellow zucchini, green zucchini, pumpkin, asparagus, carrots and wild mushrooms.
- Re-generate, or roast the lamb rack in a combi oven at a temperature of 140oC at a humidity of 50% for 7 minutes. Remove, garnish as appropriate, then serve immediately.
