Baby Rack of Lamb with French-fried Shepherd’s Pies
In this delicious pairing of lamb dishes, a simple rack is complemented by shepherd’s pies baked inside a ring of French-fried potatoes. The pies are not easy to make, however, and the method given comes after much experimentation, since few home cooks have the commercial fryer used by the chef.
Ingredients
- Lamb - 12 oz, ground
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Ground Lamb - 12 oz
- Bacon - 6 slices (4 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch dice
- Rosemary - 2 teaspoons minced fresh
- Salt - 1 teaspoon
- Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon, freshly ground
- Cumin - 1/2 teaspoon, ground
- Vegetable Oil - 4 cups, for frying
- Idaho potatoes - 6 large, peeled and cut into 3-inch-long, 1/4-inch-square fries
- Whipped Potatoes
- Boiling Potatoes - 2 large,peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- Milk - 1/2 cup, heated to boiling
- Unsalted Butter - 4 tablespoons
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Garnish
- Carrot - 1, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick dice
- Celery Stalks - 2, cut into 1/4-inch-thick dice
- Pearl Onions - 8 (thawed frozen onions may be used)
- Haricots Verts - 32 (alt. small green beans)
- Peas - 1/2 cup, fresh or thawed frozen
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Rosemary - 4 sprigs
Instructions
To make the shepherd’s pies: Combine the ground lamb with the bacon, rosemary, salt, pepper, and cumin in a medium bowl and set aside.
Place the oil in a deep, heavy pot or deep fryer and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 325 F. Cook the French fries in batches for 60 to 90 seconds, or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove the potatoes from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let the oil return to temperature between batches.
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the inside of four 3-inch diameter, 2-1/2-inch-deep ring molds with vegetable oil spray or rub them with butter. Line the French fires vertically around the inside of the ring mold until they are firmly packed along the inside perimeter. The tops of the French fries should rise about 1 inch above the top of the ring mold, and the fries should fit too snugly to move. Divide the reserved lamb mixture among the four molds. Firmly pack the meat into the bottom of each mold. Cut any leftover French fries into cubes and pack them into the underside of the mold to protect the meat from overcooking on the bottom.
Place the four rings and the racks of lamb into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes for medium rare.
While the lamb is cooking, make the whipped potatoes: Pour 6 inches of cold water into a medium saucepan, lightly salt the water, and add the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil, uncovered, and cook the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes. While the potatoes are still hot, push them through a ricer or food mill. Add the hot milk and the butter to the potatoes and beat until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
To make the garnish: While the potatoes are cooking, bring another pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the diced carrots and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Remove the carrots from the water with a slotted spoon and add the celery. Cook the celery for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender, then drain in the same way. Add the pearl onions and haricots verts and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, adding the peas 2 minutes into the cooking time. Drain all the vegetables well. Slip the peels from the onions. Melt the butter in a small saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add all the blanched vegetables and cook for 2 minutes to glaze them with butter. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the lamb and molds from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before carving the lamb.
To serve: Unmold the pies and place one in the center of each plate. Transfer the whipped potatoes to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the whipped potatoes over the top of the lamb layer of the pies and top with vegetable garnish. Place a small pile of haricots verts beside each shepherd’s pie. Carve the racks and divide the chops among the plates, placing them beside and on top of the pies. Drizzle pan juices around each plate and add a few grindings of fresh black pepper. Top each shepherd’s pie with a sprig of rosemary.
