TV chef explains why fresh lamb is a real summer treat
FIRE up the barbie, because John Torode wants to share his top tips for a delicious feast using new season lamb.
The Aussie chef grew up eating lamb and one of his favourite things about living in the UK now is the amazing quality of our produce, the seasonality, and high animal welfare.
John loves Red Tractor Lamb because it ensures stringent standards have been met from farm to pack and means quality British produce that works brilliantly on a barbecue at this time of year.
When the sun shines (actually, even when it doesn’t) John and wife Lisa Faulkner cook outdoors.
“Lamb is one of the greatest things on the barbie because it takes on so much flavour,” he says.
“It’s a good strong meat which can take on salty flavours and herbs but still be prominent in its own right. Nowadays we no longer just want a sausage or burger patty, we want something more special.
“During the summer our lamb is in abundance, that means it’s cost effective and a really good way to do it.”
John takes his inspiration from the Middle East and Greece, cultures where cooking over a flame is commonplace.
“Remember to cook over the coals not on the flame, and if it’s a gas flame keep it nice and low,” he advises.
Between them, John and Lisa have five children and he encourages them to be hands-on with cooking: “I’m not protective of my barbie, anyone can do it. If you let them help, your children will be able to develop their cooking skills too. At some stage, I’d like them to be cooking for me rather than me cooking for them.”
Check out John’s homemade kofta recipe, which is super easy to make, extremely versatile, and everyone loves tucking in.
“These little koftas are so delicious and they can be made the day before and stay covered in the fridge because they have to be cold when you cook them so they don’t fall apart,” he says.
Spice them up with cumin, coriander and black pepper and adapt the amount depending on how spicy you like things.
“The whole idea of these koftas is that they’re for the summer serve with flatbread, pickles, and salad. Small pieces of meat work so much better on the BBQ and people always come back for more, and the person cooking has a mouthful here and there while enjoying a glass of beer.”
He adds: “Cook outside if you can but if it gets stormy just remember that a grill pan works just as well. So don’t get disappointed if it’s suddenly pouring with rain when you planned an amazing BBQ - just turn the heating up, put on a pair of shorts and don’t worry about it!”
Red Tractor Lamb is sourced from British farms that adopt stringent standards which ensure your food is safe, traceable and farmed with care. Red Tractor farmers strive for the very best in animal health and well-being so when you see the Red Tractor logo, you can be confident that you’re buying quality British produce that can be traced all the way back to the farms it came from making it the perfect choice for the Great British Barbeque.