Virginie Basselot’s Lamb Fillet with Vadouvan, Artichoke and Herb Gnocchi

Serves six.

For the Lamb

Ingredients

• Nine-rib rack of lamb
• 60g vadouvan
• olive oil
• butter

Method

1. Take the fillet off the bone, trim the fat and marinade with the vadouvan for 24 hours.
2. Cut into 160g portions. Keep the trimmings to make jus.
3. Just before service, sear in a hot pan and then cook in oven until medium rare.

For the Artichoke Purée

Ingredients

• 3 large artichokes
• 50g carrot, finely diced
• 50g celeriac
• 50g onions
• garlic
• thyme
• white wine

Method

1. Sweat the garnish, add the artichokes, add a little wine, cover and cook until soft.
2. Blend, pass through a seive, adjust seasoning and then set aside in a pipette.

For the Poivrade Artichokes

Ingredients

• 9 poivrade artichokes
• 20g carrot, finely diced
• 20g celery, finely diced
• 20g onions, finely diced
• lemon juice
• white wine
• Sakura vinegar
• lamb jus

Method

1. Strip the artichokes and cook with the garnish.
2. Just before serving, cut in two lengthwise, brown the cut side in a frying pan, deglaze with vinegar then glaze with jus.

For the Herb Gnocchi

Ingredients

• 250g cooked ratte potato flesh, dry
• 80g flour
• 50g Parmesan
• 1 egg
• 40g chopped mixed herbs
• Salt, pepper

Method

1. Mix all ingredients together and then shape into gnocchi.
2. Cook in boiling water just before serving and finish by glazing with butter.

For the Poivrade Artichoke Crisps

Ingredients

• 2 poivrade artichokes
• olive oil
• salt

Method

1. Remove outer leaves of the artichokes, cut in half and slice thinly using a slicer.
2. Lay between two sheets of film with olive oil and cook in the microwave until soft with a bite.

For the Lamb Jus with Vadouvan

Ingredients

• lamb bones and trimmings
• shallot
• garlic
• butter
• thyme
• vadouvan

Method

1. Brown the bones and trimmings in a hot pan.
2. Reduce heat and add the rest of the ingredients except the vadouvan to the pan.
3. Cook gently until shallots soften, then add a little water and reduce.
4. Sieve the mixture and return the liquid to the pan, add some vadouvan and allow to infuse.

Recipe courtesy of Virginie Basselot, chef of Le Negresco in the French Riviera, which includes 2-Michelin-starred Le Chantecler.

Image © Claes Bech Poulsen