Lamb with Pea Jus in 5 Steps

There is a green, a beautiful pea green in the Lear tradition that can envelop the meat or fish in its gloriousness; a wonderful colour for any plate. Inspired by a “what-if-I-blitz-Petit-Pois-à-la-Française-in-a-blender” moment (and we all know what happens with those sorts of ideas), this is a dish where the sauce is the star.

To the eye it is already a feast but to the palate, well, it is pea-popped-from-a-pod freshness. Simple meaty caramels and tender cooked pink centres on this simple background, no other garnishing needed; simple (I will not debase this with an Aleksanr Orlov Meerkat squeak at this point). Hints of tarragon and mint, and the slight prickle of chilli also give the pea freshness a lift without contradicting the grassy earthy lamb flavours.

Lamb Shanks with Pea Jus in 5 stages

2 lamb shanks

1 carrot

1 onion

2 sticks celery

1-2 cloves garlic

500ml good chicken stock

500ml white wine

500g frozen petit pois

1 Stem tarragon (about 1Tbsp when chopped)

2-3 leaves mint

1 pinch chilli flakes

2Tbsp Double Cream

Oven on to 140C (275F, Gas 1)

Stage 1:

First, dice the carrot into small cubes and chop the onion and celery. Crush and rough chop the garlic and score each shank down the shin and down the back to stop the size 18 in a size 10 dress effect of the meat popping through the sinew. Boil the kettle and pour over the peas to sit for a minute or two before draining, and then pluck the herbs to rough chop later.

Stage 2:

Heat a frying pan on the hob until hot season and sear the meat, well spaced out, until caramelised. Put them into the casserole. Next, lower the heat a bit and throw in the carrots, fry until they start to turn a lighter golden colour before adding the onion and celery. Let these become translucent before adding the garlic. Give it a stir or two until the aroma reaches your nose then add the lot to the casserole. Deglaze the pan with some of the wine, pour it into the casserole with the stock and remaining wine, shake a bit to mix, then put the lid on and put it into the oven for a minimum of 3 hours, or until the meat looks ready to drop off the bone.

Stage 3:

In a blender, put the defrosted peas and herbs and chilli. Blitz until you have a puree and leave it there. Next, strain the sauce from the casserole into a large pan, carefully removing the meat and discarding the carrot, onion and celery. Return the meat to the casserole and keep warm (I turn off the oven and keep the door ajar).

Stage 4:

Reduce the sauce to a single cream consistency, about a third of what you started with, before taking a ladle of the sauce and pouring it into the pea mix. Blend for a few seconds to get a better puree then pour through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl using the back of the ladle to force all the juice but little of the pulp (this is a bit of a work out but worth it). Finally, once you have the thin green liquid in the bowl, pour it into the reduced sauce and stir to heat through. Once hot, add the cream and the sauce is complete.

Stage 5:

On a high lipped plate or a pasta bowl, place the meat in the centre or just off centre, ladle the pea sauce around it (I used lamb breast in my photograph but the principle remains). Serve with caramelised squash, steamed purple sprouting broccoli or crushed new potatoes for colour contrast.

Tender and sweet pea, helped by the hint of mint, contrasting with the fleshy rich lamb and mellower tarragon, the light chilli prickle giving a liveliness to the sauce and all enriched by the lightest of creamy hints. Who says the sauce can’t  be the star?

Nb. This can also be served with a slab of cod or other meaty white fish that has been roasted in the oven, and if you are feeling extravagant top the piece of white fish with salmon caviar.