Gastroville

Le grévin, grazed on the salt marshes surrounding the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel is perhaps the most famous of the four pré-salé lamb varieties or brands. The others are L’estran from the bay of Somme et d’Authie, the Agneau des herbus from d’Ille et Villaine and the Agneau des Havres du Cotentin from Havres du Cotentin. The total production is a little more than 10000 lambs a year.

Only certain more rustic lamb races thrive under the particular and challenging conditions on the salt marshes. The grévin is a cross from Suffolk.

The lamb’s high consumption of salt and iodine results in a meat with a more tender and juicier muscle cell tissue. The difference is quite extraordinary. Also, the particular flora with more than 60 different herbs results in a very particular and distinctive taste that is not too pronounced by lamb-like flavors but rather by the fresh herbs. Pré-salé lamb is generally commercialized at a slightly older age than other famous French lamb with a normal age of around 120-200 days old.

Pré-salé meat benfits from aging. It may not be sold to butchers before three days after slaughter. Two weeks after slaughter the texture of the lamb shows an exceptional tenderness and juiciness.

This legendary produce was served as Selle de pré-salé à la régence as the main course at the Nobel Prize dinner in 1910 apparently together with Chateau Lafite.

Pré-salé lamb is also produced in Wales, of which some seems to be exported to France, and in Northern Germany.

Pré-salé lamb racks with “epine”-artichokes enhanced by citrus emulsion and lamb jus and rosemary flowers.
For two:

One whole lamb rack of pré-salé lamb
4 epine artichokes or small violet artichokes
Lamb jus

For the citrus emulsion:
Juice from half an orange and half a mandarin
1.2 dl of Ligurian or any other elegant olive oil
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 egg white

Mix the egg white with the oil and mustard until it is emulsified like a very thick mayonnaise. Add the citrus juices to it. Season it with salt.

Let the pré-salé rest a good 45 minutes in room temperature before cooking to somewhat increase the temperature of the meat. Season it with sea salt 20 minutes before cooking.

Heat a pan with some oil. Sear the rack carefully on all sides until it is golden brown. Put it on a roasting pan and let it sit in the oven at 110-120 C until the meat reaches around 56-57 C inside. Take it out from the oven and cover with some foil or even better place it in a 55 C oven and let it rest for a good 15 minutes.

The artichokes are prepared during the meat's resting time. Turn the artichokes but keep them whole as on the picture. Rub them lightly with a lemon to avoid oxidization. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon of water to a pan on low heat. Cook the artichokes slowly under cover until they are ready. Season them with seas salt a couple of times during the cooking. When they are ready sear them a little on the top in the residual oil in the pan.

Dress the plate with the lamb. On the picture the bones were removed from the meat. Pour some citrus emulsion on and inside the artichokes. Citrus and artichokes is a classical combination and the almost metallic bitterness of artichokes is often in need of some freshness that the citrus possess. Sprinkle the rosmary flowers on top of the artichokes and the lamb. Rosemary and artichokes is another classical taste combination. The rosemary flowers taste slightly different than the sprigs and are slightly sweet and truly seductive to eat. They burst in flavors when crushed by the teeth.

Drink with a good Burgundy from Gevrey-Chambertin or Morey-Saint-Denis.

/MJ