Chef Christian Dortch Leg of lamb ravioli, white pepper béchamel, orange gastrique

Method

For the Braised Lamb:

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, mix to combine chile powder, fennel seeds, cardamom, and cloves. Generously rub the leg of lamb with the spice mixture until fully coated. In a medium-sized Dutch oven over medium flame, add enough olive oil to almost completely cover the bottom of the pot. Once the oil is hot, add lamb and sear on all sides until lightly caramelized.

Remove lamb from Dutch oven and set aside. Add tomatoes, shallots, and garlic. Gently sauté until the tomatoes release their juices. Add red wine, chicken stock, and herbs. Return lamb to Dutch oven, cover, and place in the oven. Braise 4 hours and 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 20 minutes. Place lamb in a large mixing bowl, pick out herbs, and transfer all residual

braising liquid, tomatoes, and shallots to a Vitamix blender. Blend until smooth. Using a fork, shred the lamb. Add blended mixture to the lamb and mix to incorporate. Reserve.

For the Lamb Filling Farce:

In a food processor, add chicken, cream, and egg and purée until smooth. Pass chicken farce through a tamis to remove any sinew. To the Braised Lamb, add chervil, chives, orange zest, and cinnamon and stir to combine. Season with salt. Add chicken farce to the Braised Lamb mixture and mix until well combined. Let chill in the fridge. Once cooled, portion farce into 25-gram discs, ensuring no air pockets. Reserve.

For the Ravioli:

On a clean work surface, create a mound of flour with a well in the center. Add whole eggs, yolks, olive oil to the well and slowly mix to incorporate into the flour. Bring dough together and knead until tight, about 10 minutes. Wrap and let rest 1 hour. Cut dough into quarters and keep them covered and wrapped. Starting with the first quarter, put dough through a pasta roller until it can run through the smallest setting. Lay pasta out on a work surface and, using a 6.5-millimeter ring mold, cut out round shapes, keeping punch-outs covered so they don’t dry out. Repeat with remaining quarters of dough. Place 25-gram portions of Lamb Filling Farce between 2 dough punch-outs. Lightly brush with egg wash then seal ravioli around the Lamb Farce Filling, ensuring no air pockets. Lay on a semolina-lined sheet tray until ready to boil.

For the Orange Gastrique:

To a medium-sized pot, add orange juice and cinnamon. Reduce slowly until the liquid becomes viscous and weighs 250 grams. Remove from heat and reserve.

For the White Pepper Béchamel:

Using a blow torch, char shallot until it takes on color without burning. Stud charred shallot with cloves. In a pot, bring milk and studded shallots to a simmer. Remove from heat and reserve. In a separate, heavy-bottomed, medium-sized sauce pot, melt butter and olive oil. Add flour and, using a wooden spoon, cook roux until it takes on a touch of color and a nutty smell. Add half of the warm milk and whisk vigorously until combined. Add remaining milk and bring to a very light simmer. Once completely thick, strain through a chinois. Season with nutmeg, white peppercorn, and salt. Add béchamel to an iSi gun and charge twice. Keep in a warm water bath until ready to use.

To Assemble and Serve:

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in 3 Ravioli and cook 4 minutes and 30 seconds. In a medium-sized sauce pot, bring butter to noisette. Add hazelnuts, broccolini, and Ravioli. Add about 50 grams of White Pepper Béchamel to the center of a serving plate. Place finished Ravioli on top and dress with 5 grams Orange Gastrique, fried thyme, and bleu cheese.