Yield: 2 Servings

Ingredients:

Lamb:

• 6 ounces lamb shoulder
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves
• 10 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• ¼ cup brandy
• 5 garlic scapes, biased cut
• Salt and pepper
• 2 pounds duck fat or lard
  
  Lemon Dice:
• 1 lemon
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup sugar
  
  Watercress Puree:
• 1 bunch watercress
• ½ cup olive oil
  
  Yucca:
• 1 ounce yucca
• Oil for frying
• Salt to taste

Method:
For Lamb:
Marinate the lamb shoulder with the spices, herbs, brandy and garlic scapes. Season the meat with salt and pepper and let sit for 5 hours.

Heat oven to 300ºF. Warm the duckfat to a liquid state and pour it over the lamb and garlic scapes, covering them completely. Cook in the oven for 2 hours until tender. Slice and serve warm.

For Lemon Dice:
Juice the lemon, setting the liquid aside. Remove the inner fruit of the lemon, leaving the thick rind and pith. Small dice the rind. In a small pot bring the rind, water and sugar to a boil. Cook at a low simmer until tender and sweetened. Drain and add the lemon juice back to the rind before chilling.

For Watercress Puree:
In a small pot bring water to a boil. Blanch the watercress leaves and stems for 2 seconds. Immediately place them into ice water to chill. Drain them and pat them with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Blend with the olive oil into a smooth puree. Strain to insure that the puree is smooth. Keep cold.

For Yucca:
Peel the yucca root and slice it with a mandolin into thin slices. Fry slices in oil until golden brown and crispy. Season with salt.

To Assemble and Serve:
Spoon a pool of the watercress puree onto the plate. Place the sliced warm lamb in the center of the puree. Dress it with the garlic scapes and lemon dice. Complete the dish by placing the crisp yucca on top of the lamb.

Wine Pairing:
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Masciarelli, Marina Cvetic, Abruzzi, Italy 2001

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