LAMB SHOULDER THREE WAYS WITH WATERCRESS GNOCCHI, SPRING CARROTS, PEA PESTO AND BROWN BUTTER CRUMB.

RECIPE BY AMBASSADOR CHEF, CAMERON DAVIES
THE FAT DUCK TE ANAU

This recipe serves 3 - 4.

LAMB SHOULDER THREE WAYS
1 ANZCO Foods boneless lamb shoulder

Method: Remove the lamb fillet from the shoulder and set aside (to sous vide later). Remove 250g of raw lamb shoulder and set aside (to use for the bacon). Use the remaining meat to create the braised lamb shoulder terrine.

LAMB SHOULDER TERRINE
½ of an ANZCO Foods boneless lamb shoulder
50g flaky sea salt
100g carrots, roughly chopped
100g onions, roughly chopped
5L beef stock
100ml red wine jus

Method: Use 1/2 (or remainder) of the boneless lamb shoulder, season with salt and colour both sides in a hot pan. Transfer to a deep casserole along with the onions, carrots and beef stock ensuring the lamb shoulder is completely covered. Cover with baking paper, then wrap tightly in two layers of foil. Cook at 150°C for two and a half hours. Once cooked, take out the lamb, pull, mix with red wine, and season. Press lamb shoulder in a flat tray and chill for eight hours. Once chilled, cut into the required portion size to use for the hot terrine. To serve, place the terrine in the oven at 180°C for ten minutes to bring up to heat.

LAMB BACON
250g ANZCO Foods lamb shoulder

LAMB BACON BRINE
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
140g brown sugar
85g salt
1 Tbsp pink Himalayan salt
3 garlic cloves
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
2L ice cold water

Method: To prepare the brine, lightly toast spices in a fry pan. In a pot, add half of the ice-cold water, salt and sugar and bring to the boil. Once the salt and sugar are dissolved, remove from heat and add the spices and remaining ice-cold water. When the brine has cooled to room temperature, add the portion of raw lamb shoulder that you have set aside and brine for 24 hours. Remove lamb from brine, pat dry and freeze for six hours to help hold its shape. Remove from the freezer and slice thinly with a sharp knife or mandolin to create thin slices of bacon. You can either pan fry the lamb bacon until crisp or cook in the oven at 200°C until golden.

LAMB FILLET
1 ANZCO Foods lamb fillet removed from the lamb shoulder
1 clove garlic
1 sprig rosemary
Flaky salt

Method: To cook the lamb fillet, seal in a hot pan, then place it in a vacuum bag with garlic and rosemary. Sous vide at 57°C for 40 minutes. Remove from bag, pat dry and season with flaky salt.

WATERCRESS GNOCCHI
500g peeled potato
1 egg yolk
20g parmesan
250g flour
20g salt
100g wild watercress
50g spinach
250ml water

Method: Place watercress, spinach and water in a jug blender and blitz until smooth. Place mixture in a pot and bring up to 85°C to split the mix. Pass through a fine sieve to form a puree and discard the water. Place puree in fridge and quickly cool. Meanwhile, bring peeled potatoes to the boil in salted water and cook until tender. Strain off water and mash potatoes through a ricer. Cool mashed potatoes in the fridge. Once the mash is cold, mix in egg, parmesan and watercress puree to create a gnocchi mix. Roll gnocchi tightly in cling wrap and create an even cylinder. Poach in water at 90°C for 25 minutes, then place gnocchi cylinder into-ice cold water to stop the cooking process and allow it to cool. Once cooled, remove from cling wrap and cut into even pieces.

CARROT PUREE
200g spring carrots
25g butter
½ zest of orange
1 cinnamon quill
2 cloves
Salt to taste

Method: Peel carrots and slice them into thin strips. Place in a pot with the spices and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook the carrots until tender. Remove the cinnamon quill and cloves then blitz in a blender with butter.

PEA PESTO
100g defrosted green peas
25g roasted hazelnuts
20g parmesan
20ml good quality olive oil
Mint
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method: Add half the peas, all the nuts and parmesan to a blender and pulse a few times. Transfer into a bowl. Roughly chop the remaining peas and add them to the pureed pea mix. Mix in olive oil. Thinly slice mint leaves and add to the mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.

BROWN BUTTER CRUMB
100g salted butter
50g milk powder

Method: Dice the butter. Place in a stainless steel pot on high heat and cook until light brown. Add milk powder and cook for one minute, stirring continuously. Once milk powder is combined, pass it through a fine sieve and place it on a tray to cool down. Once cool, break up the crumb mix with a knife.