Don’t be intimidated! Involtini of lamb with Marsala sauce and Mediterranean vegetable mille feuille looks and sounds deceptively complicated, but it’s actually very easy. This is one of those dishes that’s guaranteed to impress your guests. It’s presented with flair and bursting with delicious flavours.
Involtini of lamb with Marsala sauce and Mediterranean vegetable mille feuille
Ingredients
Involtini
- 6 x 200g lamb loins, sliced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 10ml (2 tsp) ground cumin
- 15ml (1 tbsp) lemon thyme leaves
- 15ml (1 tbsp) fresh rosemary
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 100g sun-dried tomatoes
- 100g fresh ricotta
- 50g fresh basil
- 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
- 45ml (3 tbsp) butter
Marsala sauce
- 100ml Marsala
- 120g black cherries (tinned or fresh), marinated in extra Marsala
- 400ml lamb jus or stock
- 50g butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Mediterranean vegetable mille feuille
- 2 red peppers, seeded and sliced
- 2 yellow peppers, seeded and sliced
- 200g aubergines, sliced crossways
- 200g baby marrows, sliced crossways
- 200g onions, sliced
- olive oil, for frying
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 200ml ready-made Napolitana
- tomato-based saucesauce
- 15ml (1 tbsp) sugar
- 5ml (1 tsp) ground cumin
- 5ml (1 tsp) smoked paprika
- 18 x 5cm discs ready-made puff pastry, baked
- 100g goat’s cheese
- 50g fresh basil
Instructions
For the involtini, put the lamb in a bowl. Season and rub in the cumin, thyme, rosemary and garlic. Refrigerate and marinate overnight.
The next day, stuff the lamb with the sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta and basil. Pan-fry in the hot oil and butter until medium-rare. Remove from the pan and set aside to keep warm.
For the sauce, deglaze the lamb pan with the Marsala. Add the cherries and stock and simmer gently until the liquid has reduced by half. Just before serving, stir in the cold butter to emulsify the sauce and season.
For the vegetables, pan-fry each batch individually in the oil and garlic and season.
Once all the vegetables are cooked al dente, combine them in a large saucepan with the Napolitana sauce, sugar, cumin and paprika and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Arrange the vegetables in layers on the cooked pastry discs, alternating with the goat’s cheese and basil. Serve with the lamb, drizzled with the sauce.
Notes
To drink: Chateau La Couronne 2005 (France), a strong and flavourful wine.
