Australian Lamb Belly, Lemon Balm Curry, Crunchy Thai Vinaigrette, and Green Mango Chutney

METHOD:

For the Australian Lamb Belly:
Purée the onions, shallots, garlic, parsley, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaf in a food processor until a coarse marinade is formed. Rub the marinade all over the lamb bellies. Put the bellies inside a vacuum seal bag with the marinade and seal on full vacuum. Marinate for 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 82.2ºC. Remove the bellies from the bags, wash the marinade off, and pat very dry. Sprinkle the inside of the bellies with activa and brush the excess off. Press the bellies together and place inside a vacuum seal bag and compress on full vacuum to bond the two sides of meat together. Place on a sheet tray and bake for 12 hours, then remove from the oven. Let the lamb come to room temperature and press between two hotel pans overnight to cool and solidify shape.

For the Green Mango Chutney:
Preheat an immersion circulator to 65ºC. Combine the mango, sugar, lime juice, garlic, ginger, vinegar, lime pickle, and salt in a vacuum seal bag and seal it. Cook the mixture slowly in the preheated immersion circulator for 1 hour until the mango is slightly tender. Remove the mixture from the pouch and combine with the artichoke.

Lemon Balm Curry:
Sweat the ginger, shallot, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, and pepper until the mixture is aromatic and begins to release its own liquid. Add a little salt, then add the curry plant and paste and cook until aromatic. Add the sake and reduce by half. Repeat with the mirin. Working quickly, remove the curry plant and add the lemon balm and immediately transfer to Vita-Prep and purée the mixture until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and immediately cool over ice.

For the Crunchy Thai Vinaigrette:
Bring the garlic, chilies, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and salt to a simmer to dissolve the sugars. Remove the mixture from the heat, then purée, strain, and cool it. With equal parts by weight, blend the liquid and tapioca maltodextrin for about 10 minutes. Cool the liquid, and seal in a vacuum seal bag on full vacuum. Open the bag, spread the mixture on an acetate sheet and spread it thin. Dehydrate the mixture for 48 hours. Remove the mixture from dehydrator, let it cool again to make sure it is crisp, and then chop it to the desired size.

To Assemble and Serve:
Portion the Australian lamb and plate it with the chutney, curry, and vinaigrette.