Lamb and White Bean Ragoût

Marinated Lamb, Smoked Onion Jus, Pickled Rhubarb and Fennel, Asparagus

Chef Alec Paki of Sparrow and Wolf | Las Vegas, NV

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Adapted by StarChefs  |  May 2026  |  Photo: Alexander Zeren

INGREDIENTS

Marinated Lamb: 
Lamb loin
320 grams extra virgin olive oil
300 grams sliced shallots
160 grams orange peel
100 grams crushed garlic
48 grams chicken powder
32 grams cumin seeds
28 grams Sichuan peppercorns
20 grams star anise
16 grams fennel seeds

Lamb Tongue:
5 pounds lamb tongues
1 liter lamb stock
150 grams sliced shallots
75 grams garlic cloves
50 grams fresh thyme

Smoked Onion Jus:
6 sweet onions
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 ounces fresh thyme
2 tablespoons toasted black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
4 quarts lamb stock

Pickled Rhubarb and Fennel:
200 grams brunoised fennel
200 grams brunoised rhubarb
Zest of 2 lemons
240 grams rice vinegar
80 grams granulated sugar
30 grams yuzu juice
10 grams kosher salt
6 grams Aleppo pepper

White Bean Ragoût:
113 grams vegetable stock
100 grams white navy beans
1 tablespoon minced piquillo peppers
30 grams butter
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
½ lemon, zested and juiced
10 mint leaves, torn
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper

Asparagus Salad:
¼ fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 jumbo asparagus, thinly sliced
Minced chives
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
Kosher salt

METHOD

For the Marinated Lamb: 
Place lamb in a mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm oil to 200°F. Transfer to a large mixing bowl with remaining ingredients. Let cool to room temperature. Coat lamb with marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the Lamb Tongue:
Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 155°F. In a vacuum bag, combine all ingredients. Seal and cook sous vide 24 hours. The next day, strain, reserving liquid and tongues separately. Transfer liquid to a saucepan over low heat. Cook until liquid is reduced by thirty percent. Remove from heat and let cool. On a clean work surface, remove membrane from amb tongues. Dice and transfer to a nonreactive container. Pour cooled cooking liquid over diced tongues. Cover and refrigerate.

For the Smoked Onion Jus:
Prepare and heat grill. Bury onions in hot coals. Cook 1 hour, or until charred. Carefully remove onions from coals and remove charred skins. Using a smoking gun with cherry wood, cold smoke until desired flavor is achieved. Set aside. In a cheesecloth sachet, combine garlic, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves, and rosemary. Transfer to a stockpot over medium heat with stock, reserved smoked onions, and 2 quarts water. Cook until liquid has reduced by half. Remove sachet. Transfer mixture to a Vitamix Commercial blender. Purée until smooth. Strain into a nonreactive container. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate.

For the Pickled Rhubarb and Fennel:
In a nonreactive container, combine fennel, rhubarb, and lemon zest. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring remaining ingredients to a simmer. Pour over fennel and rhubarb. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate.

For the White Bean Ragoût:
In a sauté pan over medium heat, combine stock, beans, peppers, and 2 tablespoons Lamb Tongue. Cook until liquid is reduced by seventy-five percent. Stir in butter, shallots, vinegar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook 30 minutes, or until mixture is fully emulsified. Remove from heat and stir in mint. Season with salt and and pepper. Return to low heat and keep warm.

For the Asparagus Salad:
In a mixing bowl, combine fennel and asparagus. Season with remaining ingredients. Set aside.

To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
Prepare and heat grill. In a saucepan over low flame, heat Smoked Onion Jus. Keep warm. Grill Marinated Lamb to desired doneness. Let rest. Once rested, slice to desired thickness and set aside. Spoon desired amount White Bean Ragoût into a shallow serving bowl. Top with warmed Smoked Onion Jus followed by sliced Marinated Lamb and Pickled Rhubarb and Fennel. Garnish with Asparagus Salad.

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