Equipment
Ingredients
potatoes
- 150 g maris piper potato, peeled and thinly sliced
- 100 g shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic, finely chopped
- 100 ml lamb stock
- 1 g salt, pinch
lamb
- 250 g salt marsh lamb rump
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 garlic, smashed
- 1 rosemary
- 25 g butter
- 2 g salt, to taste
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
sauce
- 25 g butter
- 3 anchovies, chopped
- 25 g all-purpose flour
- 500 ml lamb stock
- 50 ml heavy cream
- 30 ml capers
- 3 g parsley, chopped
garnish
- 50 g butter
- 50 g sea herbs, cleaned
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 2072 kcal
- Protein
- 91 g
- Carbohydrates
- 76 g
- Fat
- 166 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 9812 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 83 g
- Trans Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 62 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Cholesterol
- 464 mg
- Potassium
- 1793 mg
- Calcium
- 300 mg
- Iron
- 10.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 206 mg
- Phosphorus
- 739 mg
- Zinc
- 15.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 911 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 32 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 8.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 123 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 6.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.71 mg
- Riboflavin
- 1.00 mg
- Niacin
- 20.6 mg
- Folate
- 264 mcg
- Water
- 501 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a blini pan with baking paper and arrange the potato slices in overlapping circles.
Place the chopped shallots and garlic over the potatoes, add a pinch of salt, and pour in 100ml of lamb stock.
Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
Season the lamb rump with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in an ovenproof pan over high heat and sear the lamb on all sides until browned.
Move the pan to the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 55°C (131°F) for medium-rare.
Add smashed garlic, rosemary, and 25g of butter to the pan. Spoon the melting butter over the lamb to baste, then remove the lamb to rest.
For the sauce, melt 25g of butter with the anchovies in a pan over medium heat until the butter turns brown.
Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually pour in 500ml of lamb stock and any juices from the resting lamb while whisking constantly.
Stir in the heavy cream, capers, parsley, and a splash of caper brine. Season to taste and keep warm.
In a small pan, melt 50g of butter over medium heat. Sauté the sea herbs with salt and pepper until they are tender.
Slice the rested lamb. Place the potatoes on a dish, top with lamb slices and sea herbs, and finish with the caper sauce.
Chef's Notes
- For the fondant potatoes, ensure your Maris Piper potatoes are sliced uniformly thin to achieve even cooking and a beautiful layered effect. A mandoline is ideal for this.
- When searing the lamb rump, achieve a deep, golden-brown crust on all sides. This Maillard reaction is crucial for developing flavour and texture. Don't overcrowd the pan.
- The anchovy butter for the sauce should be gently browned until nutty and fragrant, but be careful not to burn it. This adds a deep umami base.
- Resting the lamb is non-negotiable. Allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes after cooking to redistribute juices, ensuring a tender and moist result.
- Sea herbs can be delicate. Sauté them briefly to retain their vibrant colour and slightly crisp texture; overcooking will make them limp and watery.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store sauce and lamb separately.
Reheating: Reheat lamb gently in the oven to avoid overcooking; warm sauce on the stovetop.
Troubleshooting
Lamb is tough or dry
Cause: Internal temperature exceeded 55°C (131°F) during roasting or resting.
Fix: Slice very thinly to mitigate toughness.
Prevention: Use a meat thermometer and pull the lamb from the oven exactly at 55°C.
Sauce is lumpy
Cause: Stock was added too quickly to the flour and butter mixture.
Fix: Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve before serving.
Prevention: Add stock in small increments, whisking until smooth after each addition.
Cultural Context
Salt marsh lamb, particularly from regions like the UK's East Anglia coast, is renowned for its unique flavour profile, imparted by sheep grazing on mineral-rich salt-tolerant grasses. This dish celebrates that distinctive taste, presenting it in a refined, classic British style that highlights the quality of the lamb.
