COOKING WITH LAMB WITH CHEF HARRY WILLIAMS
Lamb loin or back strap is a wonderful lean and meaty cut of lamb which is very tender. It adorns many restaurant menus but can also be easily prepared at home for any special occasion. Beef and Lamb Ambassador Chef Harry Williams of Alpha Street Kitchen and Bar in Cambridge, recently demonstrated this to an audience of 24 eager home cooks at the Great New Zealand Foodshow in Hamilton. He explained just how easy it was to get the best out of this fabulous cut. With no fat cap to keep the meat moist during cooking, Harry says a quick pan fry followed by resting the meat well, ensures a perfectly cooked and tender result.
The subtle flavour of lamb loin is perfect for embracing other flavours and Harry chose to coat the lamb in a combination of Moroccan spices. He then pan-fried the fillet until the outer crust was browned but the meat was still soft to the touch indicating the correct medium-rare degree of cooking. Once rested, Harry sliced the lamb loin over a bed of puy lentils with parsnip purée, charred onions and whipped feta. With each of the class participants following along, they all successfully cooked and plated up their own version of his recipe, before sitting to down to enjoy their dish with a glass of wine. So if you’re keen to cook something very special for National Lamb Day on 24 May see below for Harry's recipe.