Quoting Nancy Backus to Jim Weller <=-
likely in earlier times the food was better throughout the UK
From what I've read it was the equal of anywhere in Europe in
medieval times but became plain and basic on purpose during the
Protestant Reformation (with Cromwell, the Puritans and so forth)
when pleasure, finery and elegance became sinful but improved again
at the height of the Empire until ...
cuisine suffered badly (again) during the two world wars
and from the great depression between the two wars.
I was last there in the 80s
From what I've read the 1960s were the start of the turn around
and that things were pretty amazing by the 1980s.
The Fat Duck has been widely considered one of the three best
restaurants in the world ...
-- MM
Crown of Lamb, Peas and Smoky Bacon Mustard Gravy
1 crown of lamb
For the gravy:
1kg lamb stock
200g pancetta lardons
2 banana shallots, peeled and finely sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 small bunch parsley
1 pinch of fresh thyme leaves
6 sage leaves
1 Tbsp whole grain mustard
freshly ground black pepper
fresh lemon juice, to season
25g unsalted butter
250g frozen peas, thawed
1 small bunch mint leaves
Your butcher will likely have tied the lamb racks together at two
points. Untie one of the strings, opening the lamb. Season the lamb
on all sides with salt.
Place 150g charcoal on the charcoal grid and press the fast-flame
ignition (which is a self-timer of 7 minutes). Leave the hood open
for an additional 15 minutes. With both cast iron grills in place,
brown the lamb evenly on all sides. Remove and set aside to cool
completely. Once cool enough to handle, re-tie the crown just as
your butcher prepared it.
In the meantime, place the riser grill (topped with teppanyaki plate
on top of one of the cast iron grills). Place the crown in the
centre. This will allow air to circulate around the meat over an
indirect heat source, permitting the lamb to be cooked slowly
resulting in a blush pink colour. Insert the meat probe into the
thickest part of the crown and close the hood of the 4K, shutting
both air valves.
The 4K should reach 115 C after approximately 15 minutes. Maintain
this temperature until the meat probe reads 58øC, this takes
approximately 1 hour. (If the temperature inside the 4K drops
slightly, open the top and bottom valves to setting 3 for 2-3
minutes which should increase the temperature.)
Once at temperature, remove the crown and rest over a cooling rack
placed over a tray for 8 minutes.
In the meantime, make the smoky bacon mustard gravy. Place the lamb
stock into a pan and reduce by half over moderate heat. In a
separate pan, add half the pancetta lardons, half the sliced
shallots and the garlic. Cook over moderate heat until caramelised.
Add the mixture along with all rendered fat into the reduced lamb
stock. Further reduce the mixture to 300g, then strain the sauce,
discarding the lardons and onions. Roughly chop the parsley and add
to the sauce along with the thyme and sage leaves and leave to stand
for 5 minutes to infuse. Strain the sauce a second time, discarding
the herbs and place into a clean pan. Whisk in the mustard and
season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and a squeeze of
fresh lemon juice. Keep warm until serving.
To cook the peas, melt the butter in a pan over moderate heat. Once
foaming, add the remaining shallots and cook until softened. Add the
remaining pancetta lardons and cook until golden and crispy. Add the
peas and reduce the heat. Gently warm the peas for approximately 3
minutes and season the mixture with salt and freshly ground black
pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Finely chop the mint leaves and stir through just before serving.
To serve, place the rested crown onto a serving plate and fill the
cavity with the warm peas. Serve with the gravy alongside.
From Everdure by Heston Blumenthal of The Fat duck
---
Cheers
Jim
... Vegetables seldom get the treatment they deserve there.
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.20
* Origin: Fido Since 1991 | QWK by Web | BBS.FIDOSYSOP.ORG (1:123/140)