CELEBRATE OUR NATIONAL DAY WITH NEW ZEALAND LAMB

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There is nothing more quintessentially Kiwi than a summer BBQ! With the wide array of portable BBQ’s available now, the great Kiwi BBQ is not routed to the backyard anymore. I would be happy to take a bet that this Waitangi Day whether you are at home, the beach or your local park you will get a whiff of that delicious smokey aroma coming from a BBQ. Follow that aroma and you are likely to come across a gathering of family and friends celebrating our national day, and what better way to celebrate than adding in a quintessentially Kiwi dish – New Zealand lamb!

Whether it’s chops, a butterflied leg or a rump there are more ways to spice up your lamb than a curry house’s spice rack! Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef, Jarrod McGregor from Rothko in Matakana knows a thing or two about cooking with lamb and his advice is to keep it simple for the BBQ and add in flavours that pair well with New Zealand lamb to bring out it’s delicious flavour.

Jarrod spoke to Jamie Mackay on The Country yesterday and gave listeners his ideas on getting the best out of lamb on the BBQ. He recommended throwing a leg of lamb on the BBQ after marinating it using his quick and easy recipe below or creating a minty salsa verde to spoon over your cooked lamb.

So if it was me, I would be popping into my local supermarket to scout out what lamb cuts are on special and stocking up for Waitangi Day. And, don’t forget to pop that special bottle of New Zealand wine into your shopping basket to raise a toast to all that is wonderful about our beautiful country!

If you would like to listen to Jarrod, click here and fast forward to 22:32.

Lamb marinade:

2tbsp toasted coriander seed, 2tbsp toasted cumin seed, 1tbsp toasted black peppercorns, 2tbsp mixed toasted sesame seeds, 1tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp turmeric, 1 small knob fresh ginger, 1 cup olive/pomace oil. Marinate for 2-3 hours.

Mint salsa verde:

1 cup mint, 1 cup Italian parsley, 50 grams anchovy, juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove, half a cup of olive oil. Blend all together and serve at room temperature.