Nick Smith went to check out a hot, new restaurant in San Francisco's Tenderloin district, Brick. Alex Marsh, Executive Chef of Brick, was able to show us some recipes for lamb.
Brick
1085 Sutter Street @ Larkin
Phone: (415) 441-4232
Web site:
www.brickrestaurant.com
Goat Cheese Crusted Loin of Lamb
Eggplant Caponata, Tomato Jus, Mache
Lamb
5 ½ oz lamb loin
Salt and black pepper to taste
Goat cheese crust
½ # goat cheese
½ # fresh brioche crumbs
½ # butter
¼ cup chopped parsley
1oz salt
Eggplant Caponata
2 each large eggplants
2 each ripe tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
½ cup capers
2 oz. chopped micro celery (can sub celery leaves)
Canola oil for frying
Salt
Tomato Jus
1# lamb bones
1 each yellow onion
3 stalks of celery
3# of peeled tomatoes
½ cup of tomato paste
2 heads of garlic
½ bottle of pinot noir
1 bay leaf
1oz black peppercorns
½ bunch of thyme
Water to cover
Salt
Mache salad
Mache
Meyer lemon
Olive oil
Salt to taste
Method:
First make the tomato jus, it will take the longest
- Roast the lamb bones, they should be crispy and brown.
- Dice the celery and onions and sauté them in a little olive oil till the onions are translucent.
- Add the bay, thyme, peppercorns, tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes on high heat, stirring constantly.
- Crush the peeled tomatoes and add them to you pot. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Deglaze with the wine and add the roasted lamb bones.
- Cook the sauce till there is very little liquid left in it. (Cook off the alcohol in the wine)
- Cover the bones with water and bring to a boil.
- Turn down the heat, and let simmer for 3 to 4 hour.
- Once the sauce has sufficient lamb flavor you can pick out the lamb bones and put the sauce through a mill.
- Put the sauce back on the stove, adjust it to consistency and strain through a fine mesh sieve.
Make the eggplant Caponata while your sauce is slowly reducing
- Dice the eggplant in to a medium dice.
- Fry the eggplant in canola oil at 350 degrees till it is golden brown and sweet. Make sure you season it with salt right after it comes out of the oil.
- In a blender, puree the tomato and garlic.
- Mix the tomato puree with the fried eggplant, and add the capers and chopped celery leaves.
- Hold at room temperature till your ready to plate.
Now the goat cheese crust
- Take all the ingredients and mix them together till they form dough.
- Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper to the desired thickness, and put the sheet into the freezer to firm up.
- Cut lamb portion sized squares out of the rolled dough. Make them slightly smaller than your lamb portion; the lamb will shrink when cooking.
To serve:
- Sear the lamb, cook it to medium rare, and rest it on a rack.
- Place a slab of the goat cheese cap on top of the lamb, and broil it till the cheese has browned.
- Place two piles of the Caponata on a plate.
- Gently heat up the sauce and spoon some around the Caponata.
- Slice the lamb into two pieces and place each peace on the pile of Caponata.
- Toss the mache with a little olive oil and meyer lemon juice, and place the salad right behind the lamb loin.
About Brick:
Brick strives to bring a combination of exceptional food and casual nightlife to San Francisco's Tenderloin district. Guests can expect high quality, Modern American cuisine, gracious service, and a lively crowd. Rotating art and our modern-rustic design create comfortable and energizing surroundings. Whether in our exhibition kitchen, at our communal table, or in one of our private rooms, the innovative, internationally influenced food will delight locals and travelers alike.
Brick is a restaurant specializing in internationally influenced, modern American cuisine that places a premium on the complete satisfaction of its patrons. Classic cocktails and an innovative menu are features of the Brick experience. Enjoy drinks at the copper-topped bar, meeting someone new at the communal table, or watching every move of the chefs in the exhibition kitchen. Brick has an urban-rustic style that complements its namesake: the hundred-year-old, exposed brick walls that frame the main dining room and The Gallery. The exhibition of local artists, the produce of local farms, and the inviting staff already make Brick a neighborhood favorite. In San Francisco, Brick has two sister restaurants, Solstice Restaurant and Fly Bar.
Solstice
2801 California St. @ Divisadero
Fly Bar
762 Divisadero St. @ Fulton
