Episodes 73: Lamb

Kumquat and Star Anise Braised Lamb Shank
Wild Mushroom and Juniper Braised Shoulder of Kamouraska Lamb
Grilled Lamb Liver with Pan Roasted Figs and Balsamic Vinegar
Whole Oven Roasted Lamb Liver with Red Onions Caramelized in Cassis and Red Wine
 Filet of Lamb with Pan Reduction, Lavendar and Rosemary Jus
Lightly Marinated and Grilled Double Lamb Chop, Mint Yoghurt
Pan Roasted Lamb Kidney with Pan Roasted Shallots

KUMQUAT AND STAR ANISE BRAISED LAMB SHANK
 8 to 10 lamb shanks bone-in
200 millilitres of grated carrots (6 ½ ounces)
200 millilitres of grated celery (6 ½ ounces)
200 millilitres of finely chopped leeks (6 ½ ounces)
200 millilitres of grated onions (6 ½ ounces)
12 to 16 grated kumquats
10 kumquats cooked in a simple syrup, for garnish
50 millilitres of chopped garlic (4 tablespoons)
100 grams of star anise, reduce to powder in a coffee grinder (3 ¼ ounces)
250 millilitres of Phillipe de Rothschild Chardonnay white wine (1 cup)
2 litres of veal stock (2 quart)
3 bay leaves
10 millilitres of black pepper corns (1 tablespoon)
30 millilitres of olive oil for cooking
30 millilitres of butter for cooking
salt and black pepper

Preparation time is 45 minutes
Cooking time is 2 1/2 hours
Ease of preparation is difficult
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Using a cheese grater grate the vegetables. Put the olive oil and the butter in a large hot roasting pan. Season the lamb shanks with the star anise powder, the pepper and the salt. Place the lamb shanks in the pan and sear each side. Add the carrots, the celery, the leeks, the onions, the grated kumquats, the garlic, the bay leaves, the peppercorns, the white wine and the veal stock.

Braise the shanks in the oven for approximately 1 hour. Add the whole cooked kumquats, and place back in the oven.

Braise for another hour or more, until the meat is easily removed from the bone.

Once cooked place the braised shanks with the vegetables, the kumquats on a rich creamy thyme-perfumed risotto and drizzle a generous amount of the braising juice around the plate.

Yield: 6-8 servings.
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WILD MUSHROOM AND JUNIPER BRAISED SHOULDER OF KAMOURASKA LAMB
1 shoulder of lamb bone-in
200 grams of diced carrots (6 ½ ounces)
200 grams of diced celery (6 ½ ounces)
200 grams of diced leeks (6 ½ ounces)
200 grams of diced onions (6 ½ ounces)
50 millilitres of chopped garlic (3 tablespoons)
2 ripe Roma tomatoes
4 cloves
3 bay leaves
10 millilitres of black peppercorns (1 tablespoon)
100 millilitres of dried mushroom, transform to a powder in the food processor (3 ounces)
500 millilitres of fresh wild mushrooms, morels, chanterelles, nameko or any other fresh mushrooms (16 ounces)
50 millilitres of crushed juniper berries (4 tablespoons)
10 millilitres of mace (1 tablespoon)
250 millilitres of Phillipe de Rothschild Sauvignon Blanc white wine, reduced to 100 millilitres (1 cup reduced to just under half)
1 litre of veal stock (1 quart)
30 millilitres of olive oil for cooking (2 tablespoons)
30 millilitres of butter for cooking (2 tablespoons)
salt and black pepper

Preparation time is 30 minutes
Cooking times is 2 1/2 hours
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
Ease of preparation is difficult

Put the olive oil and the butter into a large hot roasting pan. Season the lamb shoulder in the powdered mushroom. Place in the pan and sear each side. Add the carrots, the celery, the onions, the leeks, the garlic, the tomatoes, the cloves, the bay leaves, the peppercorns, the reduced white wine and the veal stock into the pan.

Set the mushrooms aside.

Braise the shoulder for approximately 1 hour. Take it out of the oven and remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside. Add the mushrooms, the ground juniper berries and the mace to the stock with the shoulder.

Braise for another hour or more, until the meat is easily removed from the bone.

Once cooked, place the braised vegetable on the service platter place the shoulder onto the vegetable and add the mushroom sauce.

Yield: 6-8 servings.
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GRILLED LAMB LIVER WITH PAN ROASTED FIGS AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR
2 to 3 fresh lamb livers of about 350 grams (11 ½ ounces)
8 figs, 4 cut in quarters, 4 cut in half for garnish
1 litre of veal stock concentrated (glace de viande) (1 quart)
1 bay leaf
10 grams of finely chopped rosemary (1 tablespoon)
100 millilitres of balsamic vinegar (6 ½ fluid ounces)
250 millilitres of Phillipe de Rothschild Cabernet Sauvignon red wine, all ready reduced (1 cup)
30 millilitres of olive oil (2 tablespoons)
50 millilitres of butter for cooking the figs (3 tablespoons)
10 millilitres of butter for finishing the sauce
10 millilitres of honey for the figs (1 tablespoon)
salt and black pepper

Preparation time is 15 minutes
Cooking times is 15 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy

Prepare the grill, get it hot, hot, hot. Remove the membrane and the sinew from the lamb livers. Season and coat with olive oil. Put the butter and the honey in a pan and cook to a light caramel. Cut half the figs in half for garnish, cut the remainder in quarter and add to the honey caramel. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the balsamic vinegar, reduce by half, add the reduced wine, the bay leaf, the rosemary and the veal stock, simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. The figs should be mushy. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve. Add the 10 millilitres of butter to finish the sauce. Season.

Place the liver on the hot grill and allow it to sear in stripes on each side. Cook to medium rare. Take the 4 other figs and mark them on the grill.

Once cooked, place the liver on a service plate. Place half a grilled fig on the liver, pour the shiny, glossy , Mediterranean-scented sauce around it. Serve with vegetables such as red onion potatoes mash.

Yield: 4 servings.
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WHOLE OVEN ROASTED LAMB LIVER WITH RED ONIONS CARAMELIZED IN CASSIS AND RED WINE
2 to 3 fresh lamb livers of about 350 grams (11 ½ ounces)
500 millilitres of chopped red onions (1 ½ pounds)
1 litre of concentrated veal stock (glace de viande) (1 quart)
1 sprig of thyme
100 millilitres of cassis (6 ½ fluid ounces)
250 millilitres of Pelee Island Pinot Noir red wine (1 cup)
30 millilitres of olive oil for cooking (10 fluid ounces)
50 millilitres of brown sugar (3 tablespoons)
10 millilitres of butter for finishing the sauce (1 small tablespoon)
salt and black pepper

Preparation time is 15 minutes
Cooking times is 25 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Remove the membrane and the sinew from the lamb livers. Season and coat with olive oil. Put the butter and the brown sugar in a pan and make a light caramel. Add the chopped red onions, colour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the thyme, the Cassis and the red wine. Reduce the wine to almost nothing.

Put the caramelized onions on a baking sheet and put the livers on top. Place in the oven and cook at high heat for 25 minutes.

Put the veal stock in the pan that the onions where cooked in and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve. Add the butter to finish the sauce. Season.

Put the caramelized onions in the centre of a plate. Lay the liver on top and cover with the veal reduction.

Yield: 4 servings.
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FILET OF LAMB WITH PAN REDUCTION, LAVENDER AND ROSEMARY JUS
8 lamb filets of approximately 70 grams each (2 ½ ounces)
3 French shallots peeled and finely chopped
50 grams of chopped garlic (4 tablespoons)
zest of one lime
30 millilitres of lime juice (2 tablespoons)
100 millilitres of red wine vinegar (3 ½ fluid ounces)
250 millilitres of Pelee Island Cabernet Merlot red wine (1 cup)
1 litre of veal stock (1 quart)
75 grams of chopped Spanish lavender (5 tablespoons)
100 grams of finely chopped rosemary (3 ½ ounces)
30 millilitres of olive oil for cooking (2 tablespoons)
30 millilitres of butter for cooking (2 tablespoons)
30 millilitres of butter for the sauce (2 tablespoons)
salt and black pepper

Preparation time is 10 minutes
Cooking times is 10 minutes, plus time for reduction
Ease of preparation is easy

Put the olive oil and the butter in a hot roasting pan. Season the lamb filets with salt and pepper and sear them in the pan. Remove the filets, add the shallots, the garlic, the lime zest and the lime juice. Deglaze with the red wine vinegar and the red wine. Add the veal stock, the lavender and the rosemary. Reduce the sauce in the pan. Add the butter and check the seasoning. Pass the pan juice through a fine sieve. Keep warm on a slow burner.

Yield: 4 servings.
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LIGHTLY MARINATED AND GRILLED DOUBLE LAMB CHOP, MINT YOGHURT

For the marinade:
1 litre of low fat yoghurt
2 French shallots peeled and finely chopped
50 grams of garlic paste
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
50 millilitres of chopped wild mint or pepper mint
separate the marinate in two

For the lamb chops:
4 double lamb chops
30 millilitres of olive oil for cooking
salt and black pepper

Preparation time is 10 minutes
Marinating time is 3 hours
Cooking times is 10 minutes, plus time for reduction
Preheat the barbeque grill

Mix the yoghurt, shallots, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and the mint in a bowl. Mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove the marinade from the refrigerator and separate it into two parts. Put the lamb chops in one container and cover well with the marinade. Store the other half of the marinade in the refrigerator for two hours.

Oil the grill. Remove the excess yoghurt marinate from the chops. Season.

Place the chops on the hot B.B.Q. grill. Sear each side.

Serve the lamb chops with the yoghurt and grilled vegetables or corn on the cob.

Yield: 4 servings.
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PAN ROASTED LAMB KIDNEY WITH PAN ROASTED SHALLOTS
8 lamb kidneys of approximately 50 grams each (1 ¾ ounces)
12 French shallots peeled
18 millilitres of honey (2 tablespoons)
10 millilitres of dry mustard (2 teaspoons)
150 millilitres of champagne vinegar (5 fluid ounces)
250 millilitres of Caliterra Sauvignon Blanc white wine (1 cup)
1 litre of veal stock (1 quart)
75 grams of chopped chives (2 ½ ounces)
30 millilitres of olive oil for cooking (2 tablespoons)
30 millilitres of butter for cooking (2 tablespoons)
salt and black pepper

Preparation time is 10 minutes
Cooking times is 10 minutes, plus time for reduction
Ease of preparation is easy

Put the olive oil and the butter in a hot roasting pan. Add the lamb kidneys, roast on one side, then season the kidney. Remove the kidneys; add the shallots, the honey and the dry mustard. Deglaze the pan with the champagne vinegar, the white wine and the veal stock. Cook the shallots until soft. Add the chopped chives. Replace the kidneys in the sauce and reheat.

Serve the kidneys with potato rosti

Yield: 4 servings.
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Recipe courtesy of Chef Georges Laurier, Executive Chef & owner of Laurier Sur Montcalm in Hull, Quebec.