Lamb and Sweetbread Pie

By Fran Joyce, Head Chef at The Thomas Lord.

Pastry
600g plain flour
400g unsalted butter
200g chilled water
8g chopped thyme petals
7g mustard powder
7g salt

- In a mixing bowl put in the flour, diced butter, salt, thyme and mustard powder and place in fridge for 20 minutes to chill
- when chilled place mix in food mixer. Start on low speed with a paddle attachment until it gets to a sandy texture. Start to add water slowly.
- when mix comes together take off and kneed by hand until smooth. Wrap in cling film and rest in fridge for 1/2 hour
- weigh out 550g of pastry and on a floured surface roll out to a 29cm tart ring (make sure ring is on parchment)
- rest in fridge again for 1 hour
- double line inside of tart case, pour in baking beans (we use uncooked rice) and bake at 155 degrees centigrade for 1 hour.
- remove cling film and baking beans and bake for another 10 minutes until just starting to colour
- whilst still hot brush with egg yolk to seal


Veal Stock
5kg veal bones
2 kg chicken bones
2 carrots
1 onion
2 celery sticks
1 leek
200g tomato purée

- roast veal bones at 160 degrees centigrade for 1 hour, flip bones and roast for another 20
- put roasted veal bones, chicken bones, carrot, leeks, celery and onion (all veg roughly chopped) in stock pot.
- remove any fat from the roasting tray and add the tomato purée. Keep stirring until it starts to colour, cover with water and bring to the boil. Pour mix into stock pot and bring to the boil
- simmer for 24 hours, skimming of impurities as often as possible
- pass stock and reduce liquid to a gravy texture, check seasoning

Lamb filling
1.5kg diced local lamb
1 finely diced swede
4 finely diced carrots
1 finely diced celery
1 finely diced turnip
Veal stock (see above - approx 1/2 litre)
Chopped tarragon, parsley, chives & chervil

- in a large pan on medium heat, start to fry the lamb in oil, as you cook a lot of moisture will come out. Keep cooking until all the moisture has evaporated.
- add veal stock and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is soft.
- in a separate pan being some butter to foaming stage, add diced vegetables and cook until soft.
- drain off any liquid from the vegetables and add to the lamb.
- once chilled add the mixed herbs

Sweetbreads 
1kg lamb sweetbreads
1 diced carrot
1 diced onion
1 diced celery
10 thyme stalks

- soak sweetbread in cold water for 24 hours - refreshing if possible every 6 hours
- blanch them in heavy salted water for 30 seconds, remove and pick off any large amount of sinue
- in a pan sweat of the vegetables and thyme with a clove of garlic. Add sweetbreads, top up with cold water (to cover) and simmer for 20 minutes
- remove from heat and leave mixture to cool
- drain off liquid and lightly dust the sweetbreads with flour, sauté or fry sweetbreads in foaming butter until they have coloured and started to go crispy

To finish
- take the tart case out of the ring
- layer with kale
- top with the crispy sweetbreads
- over that mold the lamb mix
- roll out the rest of your pastry for the lid
- egg yolk side of pastry case and place the lid on, gently pressing the raw pastry into cooked so it is sealed well
- brush the whole thing with egg yolk and bake for 45 minutes at 160 degrees until golden.