Stuffed Lamb Loin with Basil and Mushrooms
Neil McFadden’s stuffed lamb loin is served with seasoned mashed potatoes, deep-fried sweetbreads, sauteed lamb kidneys, and rosemary sauce. Read the instructions for each portion carefully before deciding how to sequence the preparation steps.
Ingredients
- Sweetbreads
- Lamb Sweetbreads - 2
- Vegetable Stock - 2 cups
- Egg Yolk - 1
- Cool Water - 1/4 cup
- Bread Crumbs - 1 cup, fine
- Canola oil for deep frying
- Champ Potatoes
- Potatoes - 1/2 pound
- Onion - 1/2 small, finely chopped
- Scallion - 1/2, finely chopped
- Unsalted Butter - 3 tablespoons
- Warm milk - 1/4 cup
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Lamb Loins - 1 pound, trimmed
- Shiitake Mushrooms - 1 cup, sliced and sauteed
- Basil leaves - 12
- Rosemary Sprigs - 3 sprigs
- Rosemary Sauce
- Lamb stock - 3/4 cup
- Rosemary Sprigs - 1, stemmed and chopped
- Unsalted Butter - 1 tablespoon
- Kidney Slices
- Lamb kidney - 1
- Unsalted Butter - 1 tablespoon
- Port Wine - 1/4 cup
- Rosemary Sprigs - 2
Instructions
To prepare the sweetbreads: Soak the sweetbreads in several changes of water for 1 hour to clean. Heat the vegetable stock to boiling over high heat; reduce the heat to medium-low and add the sweetbreads. Poach, uncovered, 20 minutes. Remove and drain. Trim any membranes. Set aside.
To prepare the potatoes: Pare the potatoes and boil in salted water until softened. Drain and keep warm.
To prepare the loin: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Trim the meat, but leave the fat on the back side and score it lightly. Turning the meat back over, cut half way through across the center of the meat where the thick and thin portions meet; do not cut all the way through the meat. Turn the knife on its side and cut the thick end of the meat in half horizontally, ending 1/2-inch from the edge to create a flap; do not cut the piece completely off. Wrap the thin end of the meat in plastic wrap and pound with a mallet to make it thinner. Remove the wrap; open the meat out to create a long strip. Season with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms and basil on half of the thicker end and fold the meat back over the stuffing, then roll the thinner end around the whole and tie into place with twine. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and sear the lamb on all sides until browned. Add the rosemary sprigs to the pan and place in the oven and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, to the desired degree of doneness. Turn and baste twice during roasting. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the twine.
To prepare the rosemary sauce: Simmer the lamb stock in a medium saute pan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup. Swirl in the butter. Keep warm. Five minutes before serving, add the rosemary.
To finish the sweetbreads: Cut each into 3 slices. Whisk the egg yolk and water together to form an egg wash and dip the sweetbreads in the egg wash to coat. Roll in the bread crumbs. Heat the oil to 375 F in a deep fryer or deep saucepan and fry 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
To prepare the kidneys: Rinse the kidney in cold water and trim off any fat, membranes, and ducts. Slice it in half. Heat the butter in a non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat and saute the kidney slices 2 to 4 minutes, turning half way through. To not overcook. Add the wine, avert your face, and ignite it; shake the pan until the flames die down.
To finish the potatoes: Mash the potatoes with the raw onion, scallion, butter, and milk and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve: Slice the loin into medallions and place slices on each plate. Form 2 large quenelles of the potatoes and place one on each plate. Lean sweetbread and kidney slices against the potatoes. Spoon the rosemary sauce around the medallions. Garnish each plate with a sprig of rosemary.
