Recipe provided by |Chef Edward Leonard, CMC

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds American Lamb neck

4 tablespoons Lamb Spice mix*

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

24 baby carrots

12 Cipollini onions, quartered

1/2 cup wine

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3 to 4 cups lamb stock

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon shallot, finely diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup wine

1 cup braising sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped

2 cups seasoned flour

3 cups bread crumbs

8 eggs, beaten well with 2 tablespoons cream and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

METHOD:

Rub necks with spice mix; let sit 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt brown sugar; allow a light caramel to form.  Add oil and lamb; caramelize in the hot pan until evenly colored. Remove lamb; set aside.  Using the same skillet, add butter, carrots and onions; sauté. Deglaze with wine, scraping pan well.  Mix in tomato paste; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add stock; whisk well.

Place the lamb back into the pan; braise at 300°F for 2 hours or until tender, basting the necks periodically.  Remove necks; pull off lamb meat. Strain the sauce twice; reduce as needed for consistency.

Fry garlic and shallot in oil for 5 minutes; deglaze with wine.  Add 1 cup braising sauce; simmer 2 minutes. Add the pulled lamb neck meat.

Season with salt and pepper as needed; add parsley.  Spread on a shallow dish to cool. Shape in cling film; refrigerate 12 hours.  Cut. Dip in seasoned flour, bread crumbs, egg, and bread crumbs again. Fry in deep fat fryer; drain.

Serve as a side dish to roast lamb, rack of lamb, or on its own for a starter with a tomato sauce.

*Lamb Spice mix is a mixture of Sichuan pepper, tarragon, parsley, rosemary, nora peppers, sumac, turmeric, herbs de Provence, capsicum, rosebuds, yellow and black mustard.

Recipe and image provided by the American Lamb Board