Beard House Recipe: Lamb’s Neck with Duck Yolk Custard, Pickled Radishes, and Sunchokes

Lamb’s Neck with Duck Yolk Custard, Pickled Radishes, and Sunchokes / Cambridge Cookout

Earlier this fall, a formidable group of culinary colleagues packed up their knives and embarked on a road trip to the Beard House for a decadent feast celebrating innovative Boston-area fare. From seaweed crackers with beets, ricotta, hazelnut, and orange to grassfed Black Angus rib roast with wild bay leaves, kombu, compressed heirloom tomatoes, mussel sabayon, and sea rocket purée to beach plum tarts with sunflower seeds, yogurt, beach rose–Champagne sorbet, and fennel pollen, the entire evening was an edible study of the rich flavors of New England terroir. While Bean Town is only an Amtrak ride from New York City, we couldn't fathom going without a repeat serving of the fork-tender lamb course before our next journey up north, so we made a quick phone call to inquire after the recipe.

Prepared by Alden & Harlow's esteemed chef Michael Scelfo, the lamb’s neck with duck yolk custard, pickled radishes, and sunchokes hit all the right notes: the silky duck yolk custard served as a bright and addictive sauce, while the pickled vegetables and earthy sunchokes tempered the richness of the meat. At once elegant and hearty, Scelfo's masterful creation is guaranteed to please a crowd.

Want to give this dish a whirl at home? Get the recipe.

View all upcoming Beard House event menus and book your seat at jamesbeard.org/events.

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Elena North-Kelly is senior editor at the James Beard Foundation. Find her on Twitter and Instagram.