Lamb Rump, Wild Garlic Butter, Boulangere Potatoes & Minted Pea Puree Recipe



Lamb Rump, Wild Garlic Butter, Boulangere Potatoes & Minted Pea Puree
(Serves 4)

A seasonal, restaurant dish, that would impress any dinner party guests...

Ingredients:    4 Lamb Rumps
                           125ml White Wine
                           500ml Lamb Stock
                           400g Fresh or Frozen Peas
                           1 Shallot (Peeled & Finely Diced)
                           1 Clove of Garlic (Peeled & Finely Chopped)
                           100g Salted Butter (Softened)
                           100ml Double Cream
                           8 Sprigs of Thyme (Leaves Only)
                           A Small Handful of Fresh Mint (Finely Chopped)
                           1 Onion (Peeled & Finely Sliced)
                           700g Potatoes (Peeled & Sliced 2mm Thick)
                           A Small Handful of Wild Garlic (Finely Chopped)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

2. To make the boulangere potatoes, soften the onions and thyme on a low to medium heat for 15 minutes until the onions are softened.

3. In a baking dish layer the potatoes, seasoning each layer alternating with some of the softened onions until the dish is nearly full. Pour over 250ml of the lamb stock and bake in the oven for 1 hour until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.

4. Meanwhile, for the pea puree melt 25g of the butter in a small pan on a high heat, frying the shallot and garlic for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add half the peas, cooking for a further 1 minute before adding the cream. Once the peas are cooked, transfer the contents to a blender with the chopped mint and blitz until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve or shinois to get a better consistency before seasoning to taste.

5. For the wild garlic butter, mash the wild garlic into the remaining softened butter
before rolling butter up into a small sausage in the clingfilm and place in the fridge to firm up.

6. To cook the lamb rumps, put a large frying pan on a high heat, with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Season the rumps and once the pan is starting to smoke, add the rumps. Brown evenly on all sides, before transferring to the oven for 10-12 minutes (medium) depending on the size of the rumps. Allow to rest for 2 minutes before slicing.

7. To make the sauce to accompany the lamb, de-glaze the pan of which you fried the lamb in with white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to get the residual lamb essence into the sauce. Once the wine has reduce by two thirds, add the lamb stock and reduce until thickened.

8. In another pan, half fill with water and bring up to the boil. Blanch the peas for 2-3 minutes dependant on if fresh or frozen.

8. To serve, warm the minted pea puree through before swiping on the plate. Portion the boulangere potatoes into 4, placing delicately next to the swipe. Slice a portion of butter on top of the rump of lamb and serve the sauce on the side. Garnish with the cooked peas and wild garlic flowers if available.

Wild Garlic Gnocchi Recipe

Wild Garlic Gnocchi

A fantastic, vegetarian meal given a seasonal twist. Forage it while you can, as wild garlic is only in season for 4-6 weeks...

Ingredients: 170g Wild Garlic
                           650g Potatoes (Peeled and Quartered)
                           2 Eggs
                           200g Flour
                           75g Salted Butter
                           6 Sage Leaves
                           1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice

Method:

1. In a medium sized pan, put in your potatoes, half fill with water (salted) and place on the hob at a high heat and boil for 30 minutes until soft.

2. Mash thoroughly or if you own a potato ricer/mouli that would be ideal as an alternative.

3. For the wild garlic, in another medium sized pan blanch 150g of the wild garlic for 30-45 seconds in boiling water. Take out with a slotted spoon and blitz in a food processor until a paste/puree is formed. If the paste seems to wet, hang in tightened muslin above a container to squeeze out remaining liquid.

4. To make the gnocchi dough spread the potato along a floured work surface and make a well in the middle. Add your eggs first and gradually add your flour, working the dough like bread but work quickly to ensure the dough does not become to hard or bouncy. Before incorporating the wild garlic paste.

5. Once all incorporated and a dough is formed, divide into 2 equal pieces and roll out into long sausage shapes (about an inch thick), keeping the surface floured and working quickly to avoid the dough sticking. 

6. Portion them to around an inch wide per gnocco and flour lightly before pressing the underside of a fork lightly on to the gnocco to form the traditional shape. This makes it easier for the gnocchi to hold the sauce.

7. Bring a large saucepan up to the boil with water, before dropping in your gnocchi. Cook for 2 minutes or when they have all bobbed back up to the surface. Take out with a slotted spoon onto a tea towel to drain excess liquid.

8. In a large frying pan, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil on a high heat and add the gnocchi to golden up on the outside. Do this for 1 minute before adding the butter, once foaming  add the sage and the remaining finely chopped wild garlic cooking for a few seconds. Take off the heat and squeeze lemon juice on top and season to taste.

9. Serve immediately with fresh shavings of parmesan.