Lamb Shanks Roasted “a la Matignon”

Lamb Shanks Roasted “a la Matignon”

Happy 2014!

Before I proceed, I must first apologize for my extended absence last month. It wasn't planned but I found myself too busy to prepare a presentation-worthy dish. One issue I have been wrestling with over the course of the last few months is one of evolution. I'm still inspired by unusual cooking techniques, but I'm becoming confident in my execution. I've also discovered in this past year that pairing food and achieving balance of flavors has inspired me which takes time to plan my dishes.

I learned of this dish back in September when Chef Thomas Keller prepared it for Williams Sonoma during a live Google+ event. I was fascinated by it because I have never roasted lamb shanks and wanted to see for myself if the meat will break down enough to become tender. Also, the sauce intrigued me because I imagined it was extremely flavorful given the size of the mirepoix.

The Challenge

Successfully execute a cooking method I had never attempted.

The Source

The recipe for this dish can be found on the Williams-Sonoma website.

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks, approximately 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds
Kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 large yellow onions, diced
4 large carrots, diced
2 large leeks, cleaned well and diced
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
6 thyme sprigs, 6 parsley stems and 2 bay leaves tied together to form a bouquet garni
1 cup red wine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chives, chopped fine
Cooked polenta for serving

Method

1. Finish the mise en place: Preheat the oven to 275° Fahrenheit. Rinse the lamb shanks with cold water, then pat them dry and let them come up to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes.

2. Brown the shanks: Season the shanks with kosher salt. In a large sauté pan, heat 1/2 cup oil over high heat and, once hot, sear the shanks, on all sides and in batches of two until brown. Adjust the heat to prevent burning, if necessary. Once browned, remove the shanks and discard the oil.

3. Sweat the mirepoix and roast the shanks: Return the pan to medium-high heat and deglaze it with chicken stock, loosening any fond from the bottom with a wooden spoon. When the stock has almost evaporated, add the onions, carrots, leeks, garlic, bouquet garni and the remaining tablespoon oil, stirring frequently. Season the vegetables with kosher salt. Once the vegetables have softened but before they have browned, add the red wine and bring to a boil. Add the shanks back into the pan and cover it. Once the fluid starts to simmer, transfer the pan to the oven. Roast the shanks until the lamb is tender and the meat is almost falling off the bone, about 3 hours.

4. Finish the dish: Once the lamb has roasted, remove from the oven and let it rest to allow for any carryover cooking, approximately 30 minutes. Turn the temperature down to its lowest temperature and remove the lamb shanks to a serving platter, cover with aluminum foil, then put in the oven to keep warm. Strain the vegetables into a fat separator, and once separated, pour back into the original sauté pan. Add the red wine vinegar, then bring to a boil. Taste the sauce for desired consistency and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve with polenta and garnish with chives.

Successful?

I shouldn't have been surprised but the sauce yielded incredible depth of flavor and balanced the lamb well. Despite my skepticism, the lamb was very tender and cook all the way through. My only criticism? The portion size is a little too big.

Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom Risotto

The first anniversary of my first post was this past Saturday, so I thought I'd go back to basics to commemorate it. It's also a little ironic because I was a little reluctant to publish my previous risotto dish because I was apprehensive it wasn't crazy enough for this website. The dish I published this past summer used an altered method so I wanted to demonstrate the fundamentals, partially to take the mystery out of the dish.

So let's discuss a basic risotto method because this is a dish that requires some attention. Before you start, place stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low to keep warm. Heat fat (usually olive oil or butter) over medium heat in a flat-bottom skillet and add in some chopped onions or shallots to sweat. Toss the rice into the onions and stir to toast, then deglaze with white wine stirring until absorbed. Then add in 1 ladle of stock, continually stirring until it is absorbed. Continue to add stock, 1 ladle at a time and continually stirring before adding more stock. About half of the way through the stock, start tasting the rice. The rice won't be fully cooked yet, but keep adding stock until it's al dente. Once the rice reaches this consistency, add your flavorings, shut off the heat and stir in a thickening agent (usually butter and/or cheese).

The Challenge

Demonstrate the process of making a basic risotto.

The Source

Page 163 of the recipe guide of Top Chef University DVD set.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium shallots, chopped and divided
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups assorted wild mushrooms, (such as chanterelles, shitakes, creminis, etc.) cleaned, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup plus 2/3 cup dry white wine, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup Arborio rice
6 cups chicken stock, warmed as described above
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

Method

1. In a large sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Once hot, add garlic and half of the chopped shallots. Cook until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until wilted. Deglaze with 1/2 cup white wine and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over high heat until the wine has absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a large flat-bottomed skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add the remaining shallots and sweat until translucent. Add the rice to toast, ensuring the rice is coated in the oil. Deglaze the rice with the remaining white wine and continually stir until evaporated.

Once the wine has been absorbed, add 1 ladle of stock to the rice, continually stirring until it has absorbed before adding another ladle, as described above until the rice is al dente. All of the stock may or may not be needed. Fold in the mushrooms and parsley, then remove from heat. Add in the butter and stir to melt, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the Parmigiano.

Successful?

On the surface, this dish appears to be rather pedestrian, but it yielded incredible flavor. I've also had issues in the past with the consistency of risotto but this time it was very creamy, and it spread once it was plated into my bowl.

On a side note, I grew up (and still live) in Silicon Valley and have been a San Francisco 49ers fan for 30+ years, so you can imagine my disappointment with the outcome of this past Sunday's game. I spent the afternoon with friends but did not attend empty-handed. I adapted Chef Marcela Valladolid's ceviche recipe using cod to be eaten salsa style with tortilla chips.