The feature this week is a Saffron Braised Lamb Shank with 'last of summer's' corn polenta, rainbow shard and pomegranate molasses demi-glace.
Seasonal transitions (summer to fall) are a big deal for a restaurant like The Lindsay. We rely heavily on what the local farmers are bringing us and our menu is designed to take advantage of their produce. The cooler weather also changes the type of food people enjoy. For this weekend, Chef John's feature dish is a transition dish. He is utilizing the late harvest produce and bridging it into a dish you'd want to eat next to a warm fire.
The lamb shank is being sourced from the Willamette Valley in northern Oregon. When you get lamb in Oregon, that's the region to get it from. The shanks were braised over multiple days to get the beautiful color and flavor.
The dish is paired with a polenta cake that's made from corn from the Applegate Valley. The corn is roasted and then basil pesto is folded in. The cake will be flash fried to provide a crunch exterior with a cream middle.
The demi-glace is a sauce thickened from the brine with pomegranate added to fortify it. Chef John prefers sauces that are thick, but not overly reduced. This sauce is going to add the flavors everyone expects with their lamb... mint, molasses and salt.
For a dessert feature, Pastry Chef Katie is making a caramel pear upside down cake. The cake is a French yogurt cake with a miso caramel, Asian pears and spiced vanilla ice cream