Szechwan rack of lamb with lemon grass and potato stack – by Darren Wightman
INGREDIENTS
(serves six)
For the chorizo oil
1kg chorizo sausage
1 bulb garlic
100g shallots, chopped
100g thyme
100g rosemary
½ litre olive oil
For the lemon grass and potato stack
1 litre double cream
3 cloves of garlic
3 sticks of lemon grass (2 sticks for cream and 1 finely chopped)
200g pickled ginger
10 Desirée potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Szechwan rack of lamb
6 three-point racks of lamb (French trim)
10g English mustard
100g Szechwan pepper, roasted and ground to powder
20g Maldon sea salt
100g leek, julienne
100g red chilli, julienne
6 portions of the lemon grass and potato stack recipe
100g fresh peas
100g Shimeji mushrooms
50ml prepared chorizo oil
100ml red wine jus
METHOD
Place the chorizo sausage in a nearly smoking pan and allow the juices to come out. Add garlic, shallots and herbs and sauté for five minutes. Add oil and allow to simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Strain through muslin into Kilner jars.
This oil is best left for up to a month before use.
To make the lemon grass and potato stack, place cream, garlic and lemon grass with half the ginger in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and allow to infuse for one hour.
Peel and slice potatoes to 1mm thickness. Pass the infused cream mixture through a fine sieve. Julienne the remainder of the ginger and mix with the finely chopped lemon grass.
In a tray, build up the layers of potato, sprinkling the ginger and lemon grass between each layer and seasoning as you go, until you have reached the desired height. Pour the passed cream mixture over the top of the potatoes and shake tray to ensure all potatoes have been covered evenly.
Cover tray with tinfoil and bake in a preheated oven for 1-1½ hours at 170ºC. Allow to cool before cutting.
To make the Szechwan rack of lamb, clean the lamb racks, ensuring all bones are free of flesh. Rub lamb racks with mustard, Szechwan pepper and half the salt.
Deep-fry leek and chilli to a light golden colour, drain on kitchen paper and season.
Season lamb racks then seal in hot pan, finishing the cooking in oven to a medium-rare stage. Remove from oven, cover with tinfoil and place on a wire rack in a warm area to rest for as long as the cooking time.
Heat the prepared potato stack in oven, being extremely careful not to colour too much. Blanch peas in boiling salted water until tender but firm. Sauté mushrooms in a little chorizo oil and season to taste.
To assemble the dish, place the warmed potato stack in centre of plate. Carve the rack into cutlets and place each rack against potato stack, pointing into the centre of the plate. Place the deep-fried leek and chilli on top of potato stack and spoon jus over cutlets and around plate. Trail heated chorizo oil with peas and mushrooms through jus.
Darren Wightman
