I don’t call cooking a job. It’s a lifestyle,” says Jan Van Haute, executive chef at Goodstone Inn & Restaurant in Middleburg.
He began attending culinary school at age 14, so he’s been behind a stove for decades. However, it’s far from a grind. “I still see it as a hobby and a passion for me,” he says.
That may be because food was important in his family long before he decided to devote his life to the kitchen. His mother and four sisters are also passionate about cooking. His father loved to make Sunday lunch and often crafted a lamb dish that inspired the meaty meal that Van Haute shares here.
His grandfather had a 12-acre apple orchard near Van Haute’s Bruges, Belgium, childhood home. When business slowed down, his grandfather converted one of his barns into a banquet space that Van Haute’s uncle, a chef, used to serve up to 450 people at events. Spending time with his grandmother, who helped his uncle do prep like removing stems from beans and peeling potatoes, provided him a respite from his sisters but also a glance into the world that would become his passion.
Van Haute says that eating family-style is one of his favorite ways to dine. Growing up in Belgium, that meant supping on raclette, a dish of meats grilled at the table along with freshly melted cheese. Van Haute’s wife is from Singapore, and when they celebrate the holidays, often on a day off following the actual event, which he spends working at Goodstone, they like to dine out with hot pot or dim sum. “That’s what I love about Asian cultures,” he says. “Sharing your food.”
Today, that means not just his wife and 4-year-old son, but also a family of diners at the restaurant. “I love chasing excellence,” he says. One taste of these recipes and you’ll know he’s already arrived at his goal.
Jan Van Haute /Executive chef
Goodstone Inn & Restaurant
36205 Snake Hill Road, Middleburg
Lamb Leg with Braised Endive
Servings: 8
Start to finish: 2 hours
INGREDIENTS
1 leg of lamb
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 rosemary sprigs
2 tablespoons butter, divided
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 small Belgian endive heads
Ground nutmeg, to taste
1 quart lamb or beef stock
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1 cup white wine
One 5.2-ounce pack Boursin cheese
Almond Croquettes (recipe below)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300°F. Remove and discard silver skin from lamb, but leave fat on the meat. Using a sharp knife, cut 4 small slits in lamb; press a garlic clove in each slit. Using kitchen twine, tie rosemary sprigs around meat.
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Season lamb with salt and pepper to taste, and add lamb to Dutch oven. Cook until browned, making sure all sides are well-colored, about 10 minutes. Remove lamb from Dutch oven. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in Dutch oven. Add endives, and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook until endives deepen in color, about 10 minutes. Return lamb to Dutch oven on top of endives, and add stock. (Stock should just cover endives.) Cover Dutch oven with lid, transfer to preheated oven, and bake about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Lamb is done when a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of meat registers 120°F for medium-rare, or 140°F for medium.
Remove lamb from Dutch oven; let rest 20 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer endives and braising liquid to separate bowls. Return Dutch oven to heat, add mushrooms, and cook until mushrooms are lightly browned. Add white wine, and cook until reduced by half. Add braising liquid, and cook until mixture is reduced by half. Add Boursin; stir with a whisk until cheese is melted and well combined.
Slice lamb; transfer to a warm platter. Arrange endives around sliced lamb. Serve with sauce and Almond Croquettes (recipe below).
Almond Croquettes
Servings: 8
Start to finish: 2 hours, 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds potatoes, washed, peeled and roughly chopped
1 egg yolk
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Ground nutmeg, to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 whole eggs, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs or panko
½ cup shaved almonds
3 cups oil, for frying
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes; let stand 10 minutes.
Puree potatoes by hand, adding one egg yolk. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Chill potato mixture in refrigerator 1 hour.
Divide chilled potato mixture into Ping-Pong-size balls to create croquettes. Place flour in a small tray or shallow bowl. Place beaten eggs in a separate small tray or shallow bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and shaved almonds; place breadcrumb mixture in a third small tray or shallow bowl. Working with one croquette at a time, roll croquette in flour, dip in beaten eggs, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place prepared croquette on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining croquettes. Chill croquettes in refrigerator 1 hour.
Heat oil in fryer to 340°F. Working in batches, add croquettes, frying until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve with Lamb Leg with Braised Endive