Lamb, salt-baked celeriac and tomato jam

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James Sommerin's stunning lamb with celeriac recipe is a dream come true for most carnivores, comprised as it is of both lamb loin and rib. You need to build your own indoor barbecue for this recipe to produce perfect smoky lamb to go with the slow-cooked celeriac and sticky tomato jam. Be careful when attempting this recipe - safety first!

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Lamb loin and ribs

Salt-baked celeriac

Tomato jam

Garnish vegetables

Equipment

  • Blender

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 100°C/gas mark 1/2. Place the lamb ribs and rosemary into the vegetable oil in a 25cm roasting tray so that they're completely covered. Slow cook in the oven for 2 hours 45 minutes
2
Remove from the oven and leave to cool thoroughly in the oil in the fridge
3
Once the lamb is cold, remove from the oil. Separate the individual rib bones and leave in the fridge until required
4
Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. To prepare the salt crust, place the salt and flour in a mixing bowl and pour in some water, mixing at the same time, until the water, salt and flour form a dough
5
Roll the dough out to a 1cm thickness and wrap each celeriac in the pastry, making sure to seal completely. Bake on a roasting tray in the oven for 30 minutes
6
After 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 180°C/gas mark 4 and bake for a further 30 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool at room temperature
7
Turn the oven up to 200°C/gas mark 5 and roast the tomatoes for the jam for half an hour. Remove and allow to cool
8
Blend the finely chopped onion, garlic and ginger with all the spices and a little olive oil in a blender, then lightly fry for 2 minutes in a pan
9
Add the roasted tomatoes, caster sugar, nam pla and vinegar and cook slowly over a low heat for approximately 30 minutes until it thickens
10
While the jam is reducing and thickening, remove the broad beans from their pods, then blanch for 1 minute in boiling water. Refresh in iced water and pop out of their skins
11
Place the charcoal at the bottom of a very deep, old saucepan and place a cooling rack over the top so that it's secure
12
Using 2 tbsp of the olive oil, lightly oil and then season the lamb loin with a pinch of salt and pepper
13
Turn the heat under the saucepan up to medium. Once the charcoal starts to turn white, place the lamb loin on the cooling rack with a sheet of aluminium foil over the top. Keep on the heat for 5 minutes. Turn and cook for a further 3 minutes, then remove from the heat
14
Cut the lamb loin into 1cm-thick slices (this can be done either before or after smoking the lamb)
15
Crack open the pastries encrusting the celeriacs and discard the pastry and excess salt. Peel the celeriacs and blitz in a blender until puréed
16
Pan-fry the slices of lamb in the remaining tbsp of olive oil for 2-4 minutes on either side, then remove from the heat and leave to rest for 3 minutes
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
17
Using the same pan, sear the rib bones for 1 minute on each side
18
After the rib bones are seared, add the butter and a pinch of salt to the pan, then cook the courgettes until they are soft but not yet watery. Toss the courgettes with the broad beans
19
Spoon some tomato jam onto the plates first. Place the celeriac into a piping bag and pipe into the centre of the plates. Place the lamb on top, then lay a few courgette batons on each with some broad beans. Serve immediately

Noted for his innovative, flavourful food, James Sommerin has won multiple Michelin stars throughout his career, most recently at his lauded Penarth restaurant, Home.

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