Ádám Mészáros’ Saddle of Lamb with Fondant Potato and Summer Truffle

Serves 10

Ingredients

For the saddle of lamb:

• 2.2kg of lamb saddle
• 100g lamb shoulder
• Thyme
• 200g tramezzini bread
• 150g lamb jus
• 5g Activia RS (meat adhesive)
• 15g mushroom powder
• 66g cream

For the fondant potatoes:

• 1.4kg yellow potato
• 200g Grenaille potato
• 184g cream
• 80g butter
• 10g white truffle oil
• 10g summer truffle
• 50g Jerusalem artichoke

For the dried apricot chutney cream:

• Shallot onions
• 150g dried apricot
• olive oil
• bay leaf
• thyme
• white wine

For the lamb mousseline:

• 300g lamb shank
• 300g lamb shoulder
• 900g cream
• 15g salt

Method

For the saddle of lamb:

1. The saddle of lamb should be deboned and cleaned.
2. Make a lamb cream that consists of 60% lamb shank and 40% cream.
3. Add salt to the lamb cream to taste.
4. Puree the lamb cream and lay it onto thin tramazenni bread slices.
5. Sprinkle the lamb saddle with the mushroom powder and Activia RS.
6. Roll up the seasoned lamb saddle and allow to sit for at least 4 hours.
7. Put the rolled lamb saddle onto the soaked tramazenni slices.
8. Add pepper, sprinkle with thyme and roll-up the lamb in the bread.

For the fondant potatoes:

1. The fondant potatoes should be peeled and sliced with a slicer into a thickness of 20mm, so it is important to have very large potatoes.
2. Cut the potatoes slices into round shapes using a circular cutter.
3. Remove the centre of the potato circles with the blade of a sharp knife.
4. Vacuum seal the sliced potato rounds with the butter and salt.
5. Cook the vacuum sealed potatoes in a steam oven at 85°C for 40-45 minutes.
6. The cooked potatoes should be assembled onto one another to create a well in the centre of the tower.
7. The well is to be filled with smoked mashed potato using cream and butter, seasoned with white truffle oil and freshly sliced summer truffles.
8. Place the Jerusalem artichoke on top of the fondant potato.

For the dried apricot chutney cream:

1. Fry the shallots in olive oil until soft, then add the dried apricot cubes, thyme and bay leaf to season it.
2. Pour in some white wine to deglaze the pan, and cook until it has steamed away.
3. Blend the mixture in a thermomix until smooth.

For the lamb mousseline:

1. Debone the lamb meat and clean it.
2. Cut the meat into cubes.
3. Place the lamb cubes with the cream and salt into the thermomix and blend together.

To plate

1. Place the lamb saddle off-centre of the plate.
2. Place the potato fondant on the other side of the plate across from the lamb saddle.
3. Garnish the plate with drops of the apricot chutney, thyme and summer truffle slices.
4. Serve with the lamb mousseline on the side.

Recipe courtesy of Ádám Mészáros at Onyx Restaurant in Budapest.

Ádám Mészáros Chef Feature