Culcreuch estate lamb, mussel, artichoke, spinach, beans

Recipe by Paul O'Malley, Kikkkoman Masters 2016 Runner Up
- Serves4
Ingredients
- 1 loin of lamb (approx. 1kg)
- 20 large grade A mussels
- 700g baby spinach
- 150g borlotti beans (pre soaked)
- 160g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 small bunch of flat parsley
- 20 small crosnes (Japanese artichokes)
- 850g lamb stock
- 150g riesling
- 20g caster sugar
- 200g Kikkoman soy sauce
- 100g unsalted butter
- sherry vinegar
Method
For the borlotti beans
Place the beans & 400g of the lamb stock in a sauce pan, bring to a simmer & cook for 15-20 mins, until tender
Strain & reserve until serving
For the lamb
Trim the lamb of any fat & excess sinew & cut into 4 even portions
Place into 4 vacuum pouches & vacuum seal on full pressure
Cook in a waterbath at 65°c for 15 minutes
For the crosnes
Scrub the crosnes skins a little & put in a sauce pan
Cover with water & a teaspoon of table salt, bring to a boil & cook quickly until they are just starting to go tender
Strain & leave to air dry at room temperature until serving
For the spinach puree
Wash the spinach leaves & pat dry
In a wide based pan heat 50g of the butter until foaming
Add the spinach & cook quickly with a pinch of salt until the spinach is broken down
Strain the spinach & squeeze out any excess moisture
Roughly chop the spinach & blend in a thermomix with about 30g of the cooked borlotti beans until smooth
Pass through a chinoise & put in a squeezy bottle. Keep warm until serving
For the mussels
Place a saucepan over a very high heat. Once hot add the mussels along with 100g kikkoman, 50g lamb stock & cover
Cook for about 30 seconds until the mussels begin to open
Strain the mussels, reserving the cooking juices for later
Cool the mussels immediately
Once cool, remove the mussels from the shell & keep until serving
For the mussel glaze
Put the reserved mussel liquor in a pan with the caster sugar & reduce until glossy & sauce like consistency
For the panko coating
Heat 30g of the butter in a pan until it starts to foam
Add the panko & cook in the pan until golden & crispy
Drain the panko, season lightly & add some finely chopped flat parsley
For the lamb sauce
Put the riesling in a saucepan & reduce by half
Add 100g kikkoman & reduce again by half
Add 400g of the lamb stock & reduce by about three quarters, until a sauce consistency
Correct the balance of the sauce with a little sherry vinegar
To finish
Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan & caramelize the crosnes
Reheat the lamb sauce & add in the mussels with a some borlotti beans & some chopped parsley
Heat a spoonful of vegetable oil in a cast iron pan & caramelize the lamb on both sides
Rub the lamb in the mussel glaze & coat one side coat with the panko crumb
Carve the ends off the lamb & place to one side of the plate
Arrange the rest of the ingredients on the plate beside the lamb
Serve some extra lamb sauce on the side