Layered Lamb Cake ►
These elegant cakes have layers of spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes topped with overlapped lamb loin slices. Rich and silky lamb sauce surrounds the cakes.
Ingredients
- Lamb and Sauce
- Racks of lamb - 2, 1-3/4 to 2 pounds each
- Thyme - 2 sprigs
- Carrot - 1, diced
- Celery Stalk - 1, diced
- Onion - 1 small, diced
- Bay Leaf - 1
- Veal - 1/2 to 1 cup, demi-glace
- Olive Oil - 1/2 tablespoon
- Unsalted Butter - 1 tablespoon, semi-soft
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Tomato Garnish
- Shallot - 1/2, minced
- Clove Garlic - 1, minced
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Onion - 1/2 small, dicedtomatoes
- Tomatoes - 3 large, peeled, seeded and diced
- White Wine - 1/2 tablespoon
- Thyme - pinch
- Sugar - pinch
- Tomato Paste - 1/2 teaspoon (only if tomatoes are not fully ripe)
- Basil - pinch
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Spinach Garnish
- Shallot - 1/2, minced
- Garlic Clove - 1, minced
- Olive Oil - 1 teaspoon
- Spinach - 12 ounces, stemmed and blanched
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Mushroom Garnish
- Shallot - 1/2, minced
- Garlic Clove - 1, minced
- Olive Oil - 1 teaspoon
- Mushrooms - 4 ounces, fresh, cleaned and sliced thin
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Thyme - 4 sprigs
- Tomato - 1 large, peeled and seeded
Instructions
To prepare the lamb: Completely trim the loins from both racks of lamb, reserving the bones and fat. Press the leaves of 1 sprig of thyme on the loins and set aside. Saute the lamb bones in the reserved fat until browned. Add the diced vegetables, remaining thyme, and bay leaf. When all the ingredients are well browned, add the demi-glace and simmer about 3 minutes. Strain the sauce and swirl in the butter. Season and set aside, keeping warm.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. In an ovenproof saute pan, heat the olive oil until very hot. Season the lamb loins with salt and pepper and sear them in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Place in the oven for 15 minutes for rare, or longer according to preference. Remove and set aside to rest.
To prepare the tomato garnish: Cook the shallot and garlic in hot oil until soft. Add the onion and tomatoes and toss together. Add the wine, thyme, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add the tomato paste if necessary. Cook until almost dry; the cooking time will depend upon the moisture in the tomatoes. Remove from heat and set aside; keep warm.
To prepare the spinach garnish: Cook the shallot and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the spinach and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper; cook until just warmed through. Set aside; keep warm.
To prepare the mushroom garnish: Cook the shallot and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened and lightly browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside and keep warm.
To assemble: Slice the lamb loins into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Stir the basil into the tomato garnish. Build a layered “cake” on each serving plate: Place a 5-inch ring mold in the center of a plate and fill the bottom with one-fourth of the spinach mixture, lightly pressing down. Form a second layer with one-fourth of the mushroom mixture. Top with one-fourth of the tomato mixture. Starting at the center, overlap one fourth of the lamb slices in a spiral, creating a shingled top of lamb slices. Press down gently; lift the mold. Repeat with the remaining plates and ingredients.
To serve: Cut the peeled, seeded tomato into 8 diamond shapes. Spoon sauce around the base of each lamb cake. Garnish each with a thyme sprig and tomato diamonds.
