Lamb Loin with Cocoa Nibs, Coffee, and Confit Potato

5 from 1 vote

This lamb dish just came about from really thinking about coffee. I'm really not a huge fan of coffee, I don't drink it normally ( I can with 3 tsp of sugar, and cream and/or chocolate) I don't really like the smell or the bitter taste of it.

I don't know if I was scarred at an early age from flying but that is one of my fond memories of flying, as soon as you step on the plane you walk by the waiters area with that awful smell of plane coffee. But, for me, I can tolerate it when you add sweetness to it or spice. In this case I did both.

I made a marinade/glaze for the lamb using Anaheim chile peppers, garlic, coffee, and sugar. Then sous vide the lamb loin and then crusted it with coarse ground cocoa nibs. The dish was absolutely delicious. Little spice, little slight sweetness, and a lot of lamb flavor. Finished the dish off with confit potatoes that just melt in your mouth. Here is the recipe and I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients

6 people

Lamb and sauce

2 lamb loins cleaned of any fat
2 tbsp butter
4 Anaheim chile with seeds removed
1 large cup hot coffee
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp tarragon leaves (or cilantro works well)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
1 tsp salt

Potatoes

6 yellow wax potatoes sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 cups duck fat or vegetable oil
1 onion
4 garlic cloves
2 sprigs thyme
1/2 cup purslane
1 red radish sliced thin

Garnish

1/2 cup coarse ground cocoa nibs

Nutritional information

Calories: 571kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 6gFat: 108gSaturated Fat: 37gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 533mgPotassium: 948mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 30IUVitamin C: 49mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2mg

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Servings 6 people

For the Sauce

Pour the coffee, garlic cloves, tarragon, sugar, and anaheim peppers into a vitamix. Puree until smooth. Then pour into a pot and bring to a simmer and add the cornstarch-water slurry to thicken. Turn down to small simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Strain into a bowl. Place the bowl in an ice bath and chill completely.

For the Lamb

Place the lamb into a cryovac bag with 3 tbsp of the coffee sauce. Add the butter and seal tight. Place the lamb in a sous vide water bath at 140 degrees. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Then take out and let it rest.

For the confit potatoes

Place potatoes in a pot with all the ingredients and fill with duck fat or (oil). Bring the pot barely to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are just done. Set aside and keep warm.

To finish

Take the lamb out of the cryovac bag and season with salt and pepper. Then coat the top of the lamb with coarse ground cocoa nibs. In a hot sauté pan with a tsp of oil and sear the lamb for 1 minute on each side.
Take out and let it rest while you plate the rest of the dish. Place a spoonful of sauce down on the plate. Take the sliced potatoes out of the oil and using a cookie cutter punch out 3 small rounds for each serving.
Season with salt and place on the plate with sliced radish and purslane. Drizzle with a little bit of the duck fat or oil on top. Then take the lamb loins and cut each in half. (this give you 4 portions) Place the loins on top of the sauce. Serve and enjoy!