What to Serve with Lamb
You tell me!!!
I am changing the main courses in one of the restaurants this week and truth be told it’s a struggle. I have been writing menus for this particular one for twelve years and I am fast running out of ideas. There are thousands of lamb dishes out there but they have to cook and present themselves in a particular way which is commensurate with the style (and price) of the restaurant.
It is far easier to write menus for the less expensive outlets, there’s more scope. You can express yourself more easily with simple ingredients and cooking methods. It’s less contrived.
So here I sit wondering what to put with the lamb, I’ve travelled far and wide with my lamb dishes; Morocco, France, Spain, Italy, England, Australia, Japan, Germany..apart from the Maldives I reckon I’ve just about covered it!
Looking back over my photographs has helped somewhat, it jogs the memory and steers me away from certain ideas and on to others. Usually I run through the list of the usual suspects; thyme, rosemary, potato dishes garlic, tomatoes, Provence, olives, etc, etc but right now nothing is standing out.
So here’s your chance, give me an idea and I’ll see if I can work it into a dish I could put on the menu of our flagship restaurant.
Here’s a lamb dish I haven’t posted before, it’s with the bubble and squeek I’ve written about before but I’m not going back there, well not yet anyway!!!
Lamb with Bubble and Squeek
Miles,
Not much of a lead I know but it’s soon to be Elderberry season and I’ve already spotted some plump rose hips…. sloe gin perhaps…. any other suggestions from me at this late hour will only get more eccentric so I’ll quit now!
Cid
August 18, 2009 @ 11:01 pm
Miles,
Hows about…
Sous vide lamb served with a calcium sphere of mint purée, garnished with an olive oil powder, presented by a maître d’ spraying a cumin atomizer in your face.
You see, you can come to me with anything. Really hope this helps.
GDave
PS. If anyone has a problem with the Herdwick lamb you serve I suggest you make them wear it on the taxi ride home.
PPS. Serious answer, maybe incorporating licorice in there somewhere?
August 19, 2009 @ 12:05 am
Chef,
here’s a suggestion . . .
Drop it from the menu !
It’s over priced, over rated and fatty
Helpfully Yours
Rod
August 19, 2009 @ 8:26 am
Cid,
Too late with the elderberry, they’ve gone in the sorbet
Miles
August 19, 2009 @ 4:58 pm
GDave,
Funny yu should mention the foams and spray’s-I’ve just been discussing those with one of my kitchen teams, “We’re not doing that crap here” I said
Miles
August 19, 2009 @ 4:59 pm
Rod,
I would but here’s not much call for Sainsbury’s extra lean, sub zero fat free sausages around these parts
Miles
August 19, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
There would be if that’s all they had to choose from - I’m having them tonight
August 19, 2009 @ 6:19 pm
GDave,
I hope your cumin atomizer is better than my olive oil spray… more blobs than fine mist sad to say. Let’s not give up though…. I’m saving my empty Chanel’s and after a quick rinse under the tap they should perform their new role perfectly
Cid
p.s. if all else fails I hear the Head Nose at Grasse is looking for inspiration for next year’s must-have fragrance…. this blog must surely be the answer to his prayers
August 19, 2009 @ 11:09 pm
Miles:
I just love challenges like this! I think there are a number of things from Silk Road Gourmet that might interest your diners. You will have to work on the presentation of the dishes to make sure it is appropriate for the setting, but the flavors will likely excite the palate of even the most bored gourmand. How ’bout:
Sauted Quinces with Cinnamon and Black Pepper, or
Rhubarb with Nutmeg and Mint, or
Eggplant with Marigold Petals?
If you are interested, I am happy to work offline to develop them as appropriate for your customers. Let me know if those interest you.
Laura
August 20, 2009 @ 9:47 pm
Laura,
I took your book to two of my kitchens this week to show the chefs. What you list shows what I was trying to get across to them about researching cuisines and thinking outside of the box. The eggplant and marigold sounds superb, I was reading your recipe for khmeli Suneli, a spice mix I adore but have never seen a clear recipe for and I need to incorporate that somehow. Quince will be available over here in a couple of months so I’ll give that a go. I love the book, it has the feel of a modern day Elizabeth David in faraway pastures.
The only thing I don’t like is that it makes me want to use pommegranates and I can’t get hold of any just yet!
Will read up on your suggestions and drop you an email, thanks Laura. It would be good to use your recipes even if I do have to present them in a ‘nouvelle’ manner which I apologise in advance for.
Miles
August 20, 2009 @ 10:13 pm
Miles, I have a pot roasted leg of lamb I put on the menu in the fall (2 bottles of dry reisling per leg) that always sells well. With the lamb I serve carrots, parsnips and fingerling potatoes that have been braised with the cooking liquid and also a zucchini dish that we have kept almost year round. Wafer thin rounds of zucchini pan fried in pancetta fat, drained and degreased on paper towel, arranged in a single layer slightly overlapping. Crumble diced pancetta - not too much - grate some fresh Pecorino and throw under the salamander until the cheese browns a bit. It holds together nicely and can be cut in almost any shape (we opt for a pie wedge). Have done it with bacon and prosciutto as well, but liked the pancetta best. Hope this helps.
Dave
September 12, 2009 @ 9:43 pm
Dave,
That sound great, thank you very much. Anything with pancetta gets my attention pretty quickly so you’re onto a winner straight away.
The gratin sounds really good, I’m going to try that for sure.
Many thanks.
Miles
September 12, 2009 @ 11:30 pm