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Gravetye Manor: Cannon of Spring Lamb with Gratin Potatoes Asparagus and Minted Hollandaise

October 27, 2005

The 4 century-old, stately inn in West Sussex, England, is a favourite destination for food lovers. Head chef Mark Raffan's recipes are often inspired by what he finds growing in the kitchen garden.

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Image: DW-TV

Recipe for Four

Ingredients

1 Loin of Spring Lamb
4 Desiree Potatoes
12 Asparagus Tips
4 portions of fresh Spinach
4 portions Lamb Sauce - recipe below
4 portions Minted Hollandaise - recipe below
250 ml Cream
2 cloves Garlic
Salt and Pepper

Peel the potatoes and slice each potato into 3 even slices. Cut them out with a 1-inch diameter pastry cutter.
Bring the cream and crushed garlic to a boil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place all the potato discs into the cream and gently cook until potatoes are soft.
Take it out of the cream and place it on a baking tray, spoon a little of the sauce over each potato disc. Place to one side ready for finishing.
Peel the asparagus and use only 3-cm long tips
Slice the rest into on the angle.
For the spinach place a large pan onto a hob stove, heat until almost smoking then add a littie
olive oil and butter. Plunge in the washed spinach and vigorously stir until totally wilted. Season
with salt and pepper and turn into a colander to drain. Lightly press the excess juice from the
spinach and keep warm ready for serving.
Seal the lamb in a hot pan and place in a hot oven for approximately 6 minutes. Take it out and
leave it in a warm place to rest for a further 6 minutes.
Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for approximately 3 minutes, drain and keep warm

Sauce
(This can be made well before cooking the dish)

1 kg of roasted lamb bones
1 carrot peeled and diced
1 onion peeled and diced
1 stock of celery peeled and diced
1 leek peeled and diced
1 head of garlic
3 sprigs of rosemary
3 sprigs of thyme
1 glass of white wine
1 litre of stock, preferably veal

Saute all the chopped vegetables, garlic, thyme and rosemary in a heavy-bottomed pan until lightly browned. Deglaze with the white wine then add the roasted bones and the veal stock and reduce on a high heat by two thirds.
Strain through a fine sieve.
Season with salt and pepper and keep ready for use.

Sauce Hollandaise

1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons of reduction
250 gms butter
2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint

For the reduction:
1 shallot chopped
6 black pepper corns
1 sprig of tarragon
50 ml. white wine
5 ml. white wine vinegar

Place hollandaise in a saucepan and reduce by three quarters and strain.
Melt the butter and keep warm.
Place the egg yolks and reduction into a round-bottomed bowl, whisk over a pan of boiling water
until egg mix becomes like smooth thick double cream.
Take off the heat and gently whisk in the warm melted butter and add the freshly chopped mint
Season and keep in a warm place ready for use

To Assemble the Dish

Place the gratin potatoes into the oven whilst the lamb is resting. Cook for approximately 6 minutes at 170°C until lightly golden.
Place 3 piles of the warm spinach onto a plate.
Place the gratin potatoes on top of the spinach.
Slice the loin of lamb into 12 even slices.
Season with a little salt.
Place onto the potatoes and garnish each piece of lamb with an asparagus tip and sprinkle
the remaining asparagus around.
Spoon a little Hollandaise onto each piece of lamb.
Pour the Lamb Sauce around and serve immediately.

Bon appetit!