Slow-Braised Lamb Ribs with Balsamic-Wine Glaze and Garden Root Textures

Ingredients

• •1.5 kg lamb breast (ribs), separated into 2-bone portions
• •2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon
• •1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
• •500 ml gluten-free beef bone broth
• •1 large carrot, roughly chopped
• •1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• •1 yellow onion, halved
• •4 cloves garlic, smashed
• •3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• •6 sprigs fresh thyme
• •2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 3cm cylinders using a ring cutter
• •1 large sweet potato, sliced into 1cm thick discs
• •300g petit pois (peas), blanched
• •1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• •60g unsalted butter, divided
• •1 large white onion, sliced into thin rings
• •1 leek, white part only, cut into 5cm long julienne ribbons
• •2 tbsp olive oil
• •Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Season lamb ribs generously with salt and pepper. In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, sear the lamb in olive oil over medium-high heat until deeply browned on all sides. Remove lamb and set aside.
2. 2In the same pot, sauté the carrot, celery, yellow onion, and 2 garlic cloves until caramelized. Deglaze with 1 cup of Cabernet Sauvignon, scraping the bottom for browned bits. Return the lamb to the pot.
3. 3Add the beef bone broth, rosemary, and 2 thyme sprigs. Cover tightly and braise in the oven for 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat is succulent. Once done, remove lamb from liquid, place on a tray, and press with a weight to flatten; chill for 30 minutes.
4. 4Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Add the remaining wine and balsamic vinegar. Reduce over medium-high heat by two-thirds until the sauce reaches a thick, syrupy consistency. Whisk in 20g of cold butter to emulsify and create a gloss.
5. 5Prepare the fondant potatoes by searing the cylinders in a pan with butter and remaining thyme until golden on both ends. Add 100ml of stock, cover, and simmer until tender. Simultaneously, roast sweet potato discs at 200°C (400°F) with olive oil and salt for 20 minutes until caramelized.
6. 6Create the pea puree by blending blanched peas and mint with a splash of hot water or cream and 20g butter until perfectly smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh chinois to ensure a silky texture.
7. 7Char the onion rings in a hot, dry cast-iron skillet until edges are blackened. Sauthé leek ribbons in the remaining butter over medium heat until translucent and soft.
8. 8To finish the lamb: Sear the chilled ribs skin-side down in a hot pan until the fat is rendered and the surface is crispy. Brush generously with the balsamic-wine glaze.
9. 9Assembly: Draw a vibrant swipe of pea puree across the center of each plate. Arrange two lamb ribs atop the puree. Position fondant potatoes and sweet potato discs around the meat. Garnish with charred onion rings and leek ribbons, finishing with a final drizzle of the reduction glaze.