LAMB PALOISE

Lamb Paloise image

Occasionally we refer to Le Repertoire de la Cuisine, the little brown book of classic French recipes, to find inspiration for the Joe Beef menu. It's a gold mine of forgotten culinary knowledge, including the sauce paloise, a classic variation on sauce béarnaise that uses mint instead of tarragon. You decide on the meat. If you freak on kidneys, use kidneys. We like it on a mutton chop, one chop per person.

Yield Serves 2

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1/2 cup (50 g) diced French shallots
1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dried mint
2 tablespoons cracked peppercorns
6 egg yolks
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, melted
Salt and pepper
Leaves from 4 sprigs mint, chopped
8 ounces (225 g) ground pork
8 ounces (225 g) ground lamb
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon wild dill or fennel seeds
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon cold water
Watercress for serving
Apple Vinny for serving (page 196)

Steps:

To make the sauce, in a nonreactive saucepan, combine the shallots, vinegar, dried mint, and peppercorns over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally just to keep the sides of the pan clean, until reduced by half. Strain the reduction. This is the beginning of your paloise. Discard the solids.
In a saucepan, whisk together the yolks and the reduction. Now, create a double boiler-a small pan (or a heatproof bowl) above a larger pan-which is a good way to whisk your delicate sauce over high heat: Pour water to a depth of about 2 inches (5 cm) into a large pan, bring to a boil over high heat, and rest the small pan holding the egg yolk mixture over (not touching) the water in the large pan. Start whisking continuously.
Now is a good time to whip out an instant-read thermometer. You don't want the mixture to go above 183°F (85°C) or the eggs will curdle. As the eggs start heating up, start slowly pouring in the butter while continuing to whisk constantly. After all of the butter is in, add a couple tablespoons of hot water to loosen up the sauce a bit, then add a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Keep the sauce in a warm spot but not on a burner. Have the fresh mint on hand.
To make the sausage, turn on the broiler or light a charcoal or gas grill. In a bowl, combine the pork, lamb, salt, dill, garlic, Sriracha sauce, pepper, and cold water. Mix together well with your hands. Shape the mixture into small torpedo-shaped sausages about 2 inches (5 cm) long.
Place the sausages on a rimmed baking sheet and slip the sheet under the broiler, or place on a grill rack. Cook, turning as needed, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until browned on all sides.
Put the sausages on a platter and immediately turn to the paloise. Add in the fresh mint and stir well. Serve the sausages with the paloise-from a nice old sauce tray, if possible-with the watercress dressed with Apple Vinny on the side.