Equipment
Ingredients
Lamb and Braise
- 1000 g lamb breast, boneless, unrolled, room temperature
- 15 g kosher salt
- 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 ml olive oil
- 150 g yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic, smashed
- 10 g fresh rosemary, whole sprigs
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 500 ml chicken stock
Charred Broccoli
- 300 g tenderstem broccoli, trimmed
- 15 ml olive oil
- g kosher salt
Rosemary Wine Dressing
- 60 ml olive oil, extra virgin
- 20 ml white wine vinegar
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 20 g capers, drained and chopped
- 5 g fresh rosemary, finely minced
- 1 garlic, minced into a fine paste
- 5 g honey
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 150°C/300°F.
Place the lamb breast on a cutting board. Score the fat side in a tight crosshatch pattern without piercing the meat underneath. Season generously on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Place the lamb breast fat-side down and sear for 8 to 10 minutes until deeply golden brown and crisp. Flip and sear the meat side for 3 minutes.
Remove the lamb from the skillet and drain all but two tablespoons of the rendered fat. Add the chopped onion, smashed garlic, and whole rosemary sprigs. Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until the wine reduces by half.
Return the lamb to the skillet. Pour in the chicken stock so it comes halfway up the sides of the lamb breast. Cover the skillet tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat is thoroughly tender and registers at least 90°C/195°F internally.
While the lamb braises, prepare the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, chopped capers, minced rosemary, garlic paste, and honey until thoroughly combined and slightly thickened.
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil. Drop in the tenderstem broccoli and blanch for exactly 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process. Drain well and pat dry.
Carefully remove the tender lamb breast from the braising liquid and transfer it to a cutting board to rest for 15 minutes. The braising liquid can be strained and reserved for another use or discarded.
Heat a clean skillet over high heat with the remaining olive oil. Add the dried, blanched broccoli and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, allowing it to sit undisturbed momentarily to develop deeply charred spots. Season lightly with kosher salt.
Preheat your broiler to high. Transfer the rested lamb breast to a baking sheet, fat-side up. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching very closely, until the fat layer is blistered and incredibly crispy.
Use a sharp chef knife to slice the crisped lamb breast into thick portions. Arrange on warm plates alongside the charred broccoli. Spoon the sharp rosemary wine dressing generously over the lamb to cut the richness.
Chef's Notes
- Lamb breast is exceptionally fatty by nature. Thoroughly scoring and searing the skin before braising, followed by a final blast under the broiler, ensures the fat renders completely and provides an essential textural crunch.
- The success of this dish relies on sharp, biting acidity to slice through the heavy, rich nature of the lamb. Do not hesitate to adjust the dressing with an extra splash of vinegar or a handful of capers if your palate demands it.
- For a truly restaurant-quality presentation, braise the lamb a day ahead. Carefully remove the bones if present, wrap the hot meat tightly in plastic, and press it between two baking sheets weighed down with heavy cans in the refrigerator overnight. Slice the chilled, pressed block into neat rectangles before searing to serve.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store lamb and dressing separately. Broccoli is best consumed immediately.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze lamb in braising liquid to prevent freezer burn. Do not freeze broccoli or dressing.
Reheating: Reheat lamb gently in a low oven, then flash under the broiler to recrisp the skin.
