Olive Oil Poached Lamb and Potato Gnocchi w/Provencal Vegetables and Thyme Consomme

Olive Oil Poached Lamband Potato Gnocchi With Provencal Vegetables and Thyme Consomme
Lamb
1 each rack of lamb, cleaned off the bone
2 quarts extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked peppercorns
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Vegetables
1 ounce extra virgin olive oil
1 each zucchini, dice small
1 each yellow squash, diced small
1 each red pepper, roasted, diced small
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups small potato gnocchi, cooked
2 tablespoons butter
Thyme Consomme
2 quarts lamb stock
1 pound ground lamb
3 each egg whites
1/2 pound onion, minced
1/2 pound carrot, minced
1/2 pound leek, minced
1/2 pound fresh thyme
1 each tomato, chopped
To prepare lamb: Heat oil to 135 degrees. Place lamb in oil for 1 hour maintained at 135 degrees. Remove and drain, sprinkle with herbs and season with salt.
To prepare vegetables: Briefly saute gnocchi in heated olive oil. Add all vegetables, chicken stock and butter. Cook to reduce liquid by half, add herbs and season with salt and pepper.
To prepare thyme consomme: Pick thyme leaves off stems. Add with all ingredients to lamb stock and place over medium heat. Stir occasionally until vegetables begin to float to the top. Turn heat to low and simmer for one hour. Strain through coffee filter and season with salt and pepper.
Serves four.
Chef's notes: Be creative in serving the dish as three components, meat, vegetable and consomme. Perhaps use a smaller dish for the vegetables, an espresso cup for the consomme and set those on a larger plate with the lamb on it. The consomme is meant to be sipped along with the lamb to give the combined experience of texture and flavors.
Chef Grant Achatz, Trio, Evanston