By Chef Elvin Chew Braised 'Hong Shao' Lamb with Roasted Chestnut and Mushroom Tart
- Prep time 4Hr
- Cook time 1Hr
- Technique Stew, Bake
- Meat Lamb
- Cut Leg
- Serves 4
A festive Lamb Leg filling which is bursting with flavour from a medley of aromatics and spices. Sweet potato and yam purée add a balance of texture and are reminiscent of popular Lunar New Year flavours.
Ingredients
For the braised ‘hong shao’ Lamb Leg
400g Lamb leg
1000ml Water
30g Salt
30ml Oil
30g Fine sugar
150ml Hua tiao chiew (Chinese cooking wine)
60g Light soya sauce
30g Dark soya sauce
10g Ginger (peeled and sliced)
10g Spring onion stems
2g Five spice powder
1pc Star anise
50g Mushrooms (diced)
50g Roasted chestnuts (whole)
Rock sugar (as needed)
For the savoury tart shell
128g Plain all-purpose flour
75g Unsalted butter
1 Egg yolk
5g Sugar
2.5g Salt
For the yam purée
300g Yam
300ml Milk
75g Unsalted butter
Salt (to taste)
For the sweet potato purée
300g Sweet potato
300ml Milk
75g Unsalted butter
Salt (to taste)
To garnish
Spring onion (as needed)
Red vein sorrel (as needed)
Coriander cress (as needed)
Condiments
60g Shredded mozzarella cheese
10g Goji berry
10g Ginkgo nut
10g Crunchy peanut
Method
Braised “Hong Shao” Lamb Leg
1. Chop the Lamb Leg into small cubes.
2. Heat a pot of water with salt and blanch the lamb cubes for 3 mins. Strain and reserve the liquid to be used later.
3. Heat the oil in a pot and add the sugar. Once the sugar has melted, add the lamb and sauté the boiled lamb cubes till nicely coated and brown.
4. Add hua tiao chiew, light soya sauce, dark soya sauce, ginger, spring onion, five spice powder, star anise, mushroom, roasted chestnut and some reserved blanching stock till all ingredients are submerged.
5. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 1 hour till the Lamb Leg is tender.
6. Strain away ingredients and reduce sauce till a stew-like consistency has been achieved. Add the ingredients back to the liquid and coat well
For the savoury tart shell
1. In a bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and unsalted butter and mix well to fully incorporate.
2. Add the egg yolk into the mix and stir to combine.
3. Sift in the all-purpose flour and knead till the dough comes together.
4. Wrap dough in clingfilm and refrigerate, allowing it to rest for an hour.
5. Portion dough into tart shells and lightly shape into tarts of about 3mm thickness
6. Prick some holes with a fork in the middle and place the formed tart shells into the chiller for another hour.
7. Preheat oven to 170°C, and bake tart shells for 15 mins or longer until golden.
For the yam purée
1. Peel and dice the yam.
2. Place diced yam into a pot and cover with milk, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 mins till soft.
3. Strain the yam and reserve the liquid.
4. Blend yam with unsalted butter and some of the reserved liquid to desired consistency
5. Season with salt to taste.
For the sweet potato purée
1. Peel and dice the sweet potato
2. Place diced sweet potato into a pot and cover with milk, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 mins till soft.
3. Strain the sweet potatoes and reserve the liquid.
4. Blend sweet potatoes with unsalted butter and some of the reserved liquid to desired consistency.
5. Season with salt to taste.
For the condiments
1. Soak goji berries in hot water.
2. Boil ginkgo nuts.
Assembly
1. Spoon the braised Lamb Leg into the tart shells
2. Top the filling with some shredded mozzarella cheese.
3. Pipe yam and sweet potato purée over the top.
4. Place in a preheated 175°C oven to bake for 8 – 10 mins before finishing off with the garnish.
5. Garnish with goji berries, gingko nut, crunchy peanuts, spring onion and mixed cress.
