Lamb Pasta with Radicchio Salad

I've gotten into doing at least one exotic thing a week - sometimes more - with an emphasis this month on eating things in my freezer, thus minimizing how much I spend.

Laura had used a big hunk of a lamb leg we'd bought at Costco for something a while back - I think she used the grinder on the KitchenAid to make an amazing shepherd's pie (recipe for that coming soon), so the rest of the leg was just packed in a vacuum bag in the freezer, waiting for something to do.

So, after a chat back and forth with ChatGPT over good ideas, food-wise, eventually I created this recipe and chatgpt helped me create the JSON-LD recipe output (so if you're following along on this recipe using your Google Home or Alexa, thank chatgpt!)

The trick to most of my recipes is the timing; work backwards from a desired plating time and do as much "non-volatile" prep work as you can so execution can go along with your script. Stuffing agnolotti or ravioli and making the stuffing can be done early in the day; once it touches the water, you've got mere minutes to serve, so that type of planning is the long pole in the tent to having a great dinner experience. It was also a lot easier to do the braising earlier in the day and have the reduction be ready on time than doing it as part of a single execution.

After prepping the lamb, braising it for hours, shredding the meat and making the agnolotti, I then had a few other things that could be done an hour or so ahead of the plating. Dicing up the pistachios and into one prep bowl. Making the dressing for the salad in another prep bowl. Cleaning my kitchen up after myself, like cleaning the pasta roller, etc.

With less than an hour to eat, it was time to turn on the smoker, quarter the radicchio, smoke it, and get to work!

This was the end result; Laura thinks this is worthy to serve to guests, though maybe with a bit less smoke/char on the radicchio in the future. The agnolotti and the two sauces for it though were absolutely amazing.

I fried a sage leaf in some brown butter and topped with some merlot infused salt to garnish the dish; it's not a requirement, but it sure was a good addition!

Recipe

Ingredients:

• For the Lamb Filling:
  • 1 lb lamb shoulder or leg, trimmed and cut into chunks
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup beef or lamb broth
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste
• For the Agnolotti Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • A pinch of salt
• For the Pistachio Brown Butter Sauce:
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
• For the Smoked Radicchio:
  • 1 head radicchio, cut into wedges
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Mesquite wood chips for smoking
• For the Reduced Braising Liquid Drizzle:
  • Reserved braising liquid (from the lamb filling), reduced by half
• For the Honey Balsamic Dressing:
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Make the Lamb Filling:
   • In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add lamb chunks and sear until browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Remove lamb and set aside.
   • In the same pot, add diced onion and garlic, cooking until soft and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
   • Return lamb to the pot, add wine and broth. Season with rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 2-3 hours. Reserve the braising liquid and shred the lamb. Reduce the braising liquid by half over medium heat. Set aside for drizzle.
2. Prepare the Agnolotti Dough:
   • On a clean surface, make a mound of flour and create a well in the center. Crack eggs into the well, add a pinch of salt, and mix until the dough comes together. Knead for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes wrapped in plastic wrap.
3. Form and Cook the Agnolotti:
   • Roll the dough out thinly and cut into squares, about 2x2 inches. Place a spoonful of shredded lamb filling in the center of each square. Fold over the dough and press the edges together to seal. Repeat until all dough and filling are used.
   • Cook agnolotti in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove and drain.
4. Make the Pistachio Brown Butter Sauce:
   • In a pan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook until golden brown and nutty, about 3-5 minutes.
   • Add the chopped pistachios and olive oil. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Smoke the Radicchio:
   • Preheat smoker to 400°F (200°C). Add mesquite wood chips. Toss radicchio wedges with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Smoke for 15-20 minutes until tender and charred.
6. Make the Honey Balsamic Dressing:
   • In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Adjust to taste.
7. Assemble and Serve:
   • Place agnolotti on a plate. Drizzle with pistachio brown butter sauce and a spoonful of reduced braising liquid. Garnish with smoked radicchio, drizzle with honey balsamic dressing, and fresh herbs if desired.