American Lamb Neck Roulade
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Recipe Provided By
Chef Mica TalmorServings
4 to 6
Ingredients
- 2 American Lamb necks
Marinade:
- 4 ounces white onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Baharat spice mix
- 1/4 cup oil blend
- 1 ounce garlic
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
Filling:
- 1 bunch mint, chopped
- 1 bunch parsley, chopped
- 1/2 bunch marjoram, chopped
- 1 cup freekeh, cooked
- 1/2 cup dried sour cherries, soaked in hot water, strained, soaking liquid set aside
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated (optional)
- 1/2 cup pine nuts (optional)
Lamb Braising Liquid:
- 1 to 2 quarts lamb stock*
- Soaking liquid from dried sour cherries, to taste (from Filling steps above)
- 3 to 4 marjoram sprigs
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Salt, to taste
Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 ounce preserved lemon
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 cups oil blend
Assembly:
- 1 head Romaine lettuce, halved
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper, as needed
- 1 cup freekeh, cooked
- Mint, chopped, as needed
- Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe above), as needed
Directions
For the Lamb: Remove neck bone; butterfly the meat. Use neck bone to make lamb broth.
For the Marinade: In a blender, add onion, Baharat, oil, garlic, vinegar, salt and turmeric; blend to make a smooth paste. Rub all over the meat; cover, marinate overnight.
For the Filling: In a bowl, mix together mint, parsley, marjoram, freekeh, cherries, parmesan and pine nuts.
Place marinated necks on work surface; place half the filling on each neck, roll and tie. In a pan, sear necks for 20 minutes on very high heat, turning once to get a nice browning all over. Add stock, soaking liquid from the soaked cherries, marjoram, cinnamon sticks and salt. Cover with foil; braise for about 2 hours at 300°F until meat is very tender. Flip meat a couple of times and baste.
When done, rest lamb for at least 20 minutes before slicing. In the meantime, skim fat and reduce braising liquid.
For the Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette: In a blender, add lemon juice, preserved lemon, mustard, lemon zest, salt and pepper; process. Once well blended, add oil slowly to emulsify.
Brush romaine with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill to a char. Cut hearts out; chop lettuce. Add cooked freekeh and mint. Toss in Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette.
To Assemble: Plate the grilled romaine lettuce salad. Top with slices of lamb roulade; drizzle with braising liquid.
NOTE:
- Use the neck bones from the first step to make your own lamb stock, or use pre-made lamb stock.
USDA recommends the following time and temperature parameters
Ground Lamb
Internal temperature of 160°F
All Other Cuts
Internal temperature of 145°F, with a 3 minute rest
