Brandy Braised Lamb Crepenette
Serves 20
Ingredients
| Ingredients | Amount | Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb Shanks | 12 | |
| Yellow Onions | 8 | peeled rough chop |
| Celery | 1.50 bunch | trimmed, rough chop |
| Garlic Cloves | 15 | smashed |
| Carrots | 8 | peeled, trimmed rough chop |
| Fresh Oregano | 6 ounces | left whole |
| Fresh Thyme | 6 ounces | left whole |
| Brandy | 4 qts | |
| Beef Stock | 6 qts | |
| White Wine | 2 qts | |
| Tomato Paste | 4 Tbs | |
| Roma tomatoes | 20 | |
| Red Onion | 5 | |
| Kosher Salt | to taste | |
| Black Pepper | to taste | |
| Fresh Sage Leaves | 20 | |
| Caul Fat | 40 oz. |
Method
Preheat a grill to high and an oven to 350 degrees F. Season the lamb shanks first with olive oil and then aggressively with salt and black pepper. Place on a very hot grill and char on all sides. Meanwhile in a roundea or a tilt skillet over high heat add canola oil and add the onions, celery and carrot and stirring with a wooden spoon making sure to start to break up any caramelization that should be forming on the bottom of the pan.
Once the mirepoix is caramelized add tomato paste and stir to combine. Toast quickly then add the brandy, flambe and deglaze, scrapping up any remaining caramelization ("fond") on the bottom of the pan. Add white wine and simmer for a few miuntes. Add the roma tomatoes and beef stock and bring to a simmer. Place the shanks in the tilt skillet, cover completely and braise on low to medium low heat (approx. 300 degrees F) Braise until meat is falling off the bone, approximately 3 hours. Remove from heat, cool shanks completely before removing them from the braising liquid. When completely cooled, remore the bones and line a shallow half pan first with pan spray and then with plastic wrap. Place the pulled braised lamb into the half hotel pan.
Top with another layer of plastic wrap and another half pan and press down. Place in the freeze to firm up. Remove from freezer, remove from half pan and portion. Cut into 20 even portions.
Top each portion with a a single whole sage leaf and wrap each portion completely with caul fat. This. Is called a crepenette. Make sure the seal side of the caul fat is facing down and the whole sage leaf is on the opposite side.
Sear each crepenette seal side down in a very hot nonstick saute pan. Pan roast over medium high heat for 1 1/2 minutes. Turn crepenette over. Add 1 Tbs cold butter, 1 pinch oregano leaves, 1 pinch picked rosemary leaves, and baste the crepenette for 1 minutes. Continue turning crepenette over in the pan on all sides and basting with the herbs and the butter as it browns. When caul fat is completely translucent the crepenette is ready.