Spencer Metzger’s hogget sauce

In our May 2022 newsletter we are celebrating the season for hogget and, after Spencer Metzger stormed to success in the 2019 regional finals with his hogget dish, which included a sauce that judge Angela Hartnett declared ‘The best sauce I’ve ever eaten’, we’re happy to share it and grateful to Spencer!

Hogget Sauce

Ingredients

• 1.5kg Hogget trim from preparation (chopped)
• 3 Cloves of garlic
• 150g Shallot
• 180g Carrot
• 180g Celery
• 3 Bay leaves
• 3 Sprig Thyme
• 2 Sprig Rosemary (picked)
• 5 Parsley stalks
• 10g Tomato Puree
• 10ml Aged Balsamic
• 150ml White Wine
• 6 Litres water
• 1 Fresh tomato
• 20g Salted butter
• 1 Sprig Rosemary
• 1 Sprig Thyme
• 1 Garlic Head

• Wrap the garlic head in tin foil and cook in the oven at 170 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until soft.
• Once cooked pass through a drum sieve and reserve for service to finish the sauce.
• Heat a little vegetable oil in a pressure cooker, add the hogget trim, season lightly with salt and allow to caramelise, stirring often.
• Once an even caramelisation has been achieved remove half of the fat (reserve for the potato rosti).
• Add shallot, carrot, garlic, celery and allow to caramelise. Add the rosemary and thyme.
• Drain all the ingredients through a colander and wipe the pan to remove the excess fat.
• Add back to pan, add the tomato puree and cook for approximately two minutes.
• Deglaze with the balsamic and white wine and reduce completely.
• Add the chopped tomato, parsley stalks and water.
• Bring to the boil slowly, skimming any excess fat.
• Place the lid on carefully and cook on full pressure for 40 minutes. Once cooked, release the pressure from the pan and pass through a chinois and double muslin cloth.
• Place into a clean pan, reduce until sauce consistency, skimming constantly to remove the impurities and fat.
• Make a beurre noisette with salted butter, add the sliced garlic, rosemary and thyme, allow to sizzle and add the reduced hogget sauce on top.
• Whisk together, pass through a chinois and adjust the seasoning and acidity.
• To finish bring to the boil and whisk in the roasted garlic puree and mont au beurre.

Photos: Anna Lythgoe