The steaks are carved from a lamb loin aged for 180 days.

This results in meat that is extremely robust and intense in flavor, almost devoid of moisture.

Therefore, we only seared it very briefly on a scorching hot pan as overcooking would render the meat as tough as shoe leather.

This is how the meat looked before it was seared.

We seared it for 2 minutes on each side at very high heat in ghee (clarified butter).

Unlike butter, ghee can withstand high temperatures without burning.

Once the meat was done, it was seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper before serving.

Ensure the potatoes are either peeled or scrubbed thoroughly if you keep the skins on.

We generally prefer to keep the skins on the potatoes for the added flavor and vitamins.

The most challenging part of Hasselback potatoes is slicing them. One must be careful and meticulous.

Slice about 2/3 deep into the potatoes with a sharp knife, making cuts - the closer the ridges, the better. If you can get as close as 1 mm. apart, that's ideal.

The trick to avoiding cutting all the way through is to place a wooden spoon behind the potato - so you cut into it. This ensures you don’t cut completely through the potatoes.

Place the potatoes in a plastic bag and add a generous amount of olive oil.

Shake the bag well to coat all the potatoes with the oil.

Place them in an oven-safe dish and bake in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) (convection).

 

Wash, peel, and dice the celeriac into small cubes.

Peel and chop the onions and garlic similarly into smaller pieces.

Place the vegetables in a pot and add 1/3 water, 1/3 cream, and 1/3 whole milk to cover.

Bring the pot to a boil and let it simmer for about 20 minutes until everything is tender.

Drain the liquid from the vegetables (reserve it in a jug/container) and blend the tender veggies with a bit of the liquid. I use an immersion blender as I don’t own a countertop blender.

Add a small amount of the liquid at a time until you achieve the desired consistency. It should be reasonably thick and smooth.

Season the puree with salt, pepper, and gastrique (or vinegar and sugar) to taste.

Transfer the puree to a new (and clean) pot and warm it at low temperature for a few minutes.

 

Serve the delicious lamb loin steaks with celery puree and Hasselback potatoes.