-
1
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
-
2
Place the lamb, pigs trotters, and oil in a deep baking dish covered with buttered foil or a Dutch oven covered with its lid.
-
3
Cover the meats with all the vegetables, the thyme, and the garlic.
-
4
Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and pour in the wine.
-
5
Add water to barely cover the meat.
-
6
Cover with a sheet of buttered aluminum foil and place in the oven.
-
7
Bake for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until the trotters are easily pierced with a fork and the lamb is tender enough to shred.
-
8
Check from time to time and add more water as needed to maintain the original level.
-
9
While the meats are cooking, make the sauce.
-
10
Pour the stock into a small pot, bring to a simmer over high heat, and simmer until reduced by one-third.
-
11
Stir in the mustard, butter, vinegar, gherkins, capers, shallot, tarragon, pepper, and lardons; reduce the heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
-
12
Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more vinegar if you want a bit more bite.
-
13
Remove from the heat and let cool before serving.
-
14
Remove the meats from the oven, uncover, and let cool.
-
15
Remove the meats from the stock with a large slotted spoon, and transfer to a big plate or a tray.
-
16
When the meats are cool enough to handle with your hands, start roughly shredding the lamb meat, discarding any bones.
-
17
Place the lamb in a bowl.
-
18
For the trotters, pull the meat off the bones with your hands, a knife, or a fork, discarding any bones and other unusable bits.
-
19
The trotter meat is gelatinous, and it will be the glue you use to hold the packages together.
-
20
Chop the trotter meat into small chunks and add to the lamb.
-
21
Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl and set aside.
-
22
To make the packages, preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
-
23
Add the spinach and all the herbs to the meats and mix well.
-
24
Then add 1 cup (250 ml) of the strained cooking liquid and mix well with your hands.
-
25
The mixture should feel malleable and moist.
-
26
If it feels dry, add up to 1/2 cup (125 ml) more liquid.
-
27
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
-
28
Form the meat mixture into 16 balls of equal size (about the size of a lemon).
-
29
Lay the caul fat on a flat work surface, space the balls evenly on top, then cut the caul fat into squares large enough to encase the balls individually.
-
30
Wrap each ball in caul fat, covering it completely.
-
31
Select a baking dish in which the balls will fit snugly, and oil it with the olive oil.
-
32
Give each ball an elongated shape by squeezing it gently with your hands.
-
33
Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and the tops are nicely browned.
-
34
Serve right away with the sauce and a pile of fries.
