Neil Forbes recipe: Crispy lamb belly
Recipe: Crispy lamb belly, capers and mayonnaise
Lamb belly is one of my favourite (and cheaper) cuts of the animal. This recipe is taken from a wonderful old television cook called Ruth Mott – an inspiration. Crispy on the outside and moist, sweet, tender and packed full of flavour inside, I often serve these little “cakes” as a garnish with a few slices of roast lamb and wilted greens, but they’re so good on their own, and brilliant with new-season radishes. The capers help to cut through the richness of the meat, whilst the homemade mayonnaise brings it all together.
Ingredients
- 1 lamb belly, boned and skin removed, rolled and tied with string
- 250g duck fat
- 4 eggs
- 50g plain flour
- 200g breadcrumbs or Panko crumbs
- A splash of vinegar
- 1tbsp Arran Mustard
- 100ml rapeseed oil
- 100ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil
- good salt and pepper
- juice of half a lemon
- 25ml oil for frying
- 50g butter
- a bunch of French Breakfast radishes
- 2 tbsp capers
Serves: 4 Difficulty: Medium Time to cook: 240 mins
Method
1.Melt the duck fat in an oven-proof dish deep enough to house the rolled belly. When melted, add the belly, cover with tin foil and confit for 3 to 4 hours at 150C/Gas Mark
2.When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Then remove the string, roll in cling film and place in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up – it should look like a sausage. Once it’s properly chilled, remove the cling film and slice into 1cm thick discs.
3.Whisk 2 of the eggs and season. Then roll the discs of lamb through the flour, then the egg wash, then the breadcrumbs. Set to one side.
4.To make the mayonnaise, whisk the remaining 2 egg yolks with a tablespoon of mustard and a splash of vinegar until the mixture increases in volume, then slowly trickle in the rapeseed oil and the cold-pressed rapeseed oil, a little at a time, as you whisk. Season with salt and pepper and add a little lemon juice if you like.
5. To cook the lamb, place a frying pan on a moderate heat on the hob and add 25ml of oil. Heat gently and add the lamb discs a few at a time, with a little knob of butter each time. Fry on both sides until golden and crispy, they should take about 4 to 5 minutes each side. Don’t over colour them.
6. To serve, place 2 to 3 discs of lamb per person on each plate and dress with a generous serving of mayonnaise, several whole radishes and a sprinkling of capers. Finish with a pinch of good salt. Delicious.