Welsh lamb can be offal-y versatile, say leading chefs
SOME of the UK’s top chefs have been championing under-appreciated cuts of Welsh lamb at highprofile events across the UK.
Both Francesco Mazzei and Imran Nathoo have used underrated cuts in their cooking, proving to consumers that Welsh lamb is a contemporary and versatile choice.
Italian chef Francesco Mazzei used PGI Welsh Lamb livers and kidneys to create his signature Stigghiola dish at the Meatopia Festival in London. Francesco, who has worked at the Dorchester and other Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, is now the chef patron at Radici, a new restaurant inspired by the southern Italian cooking he grew up with in London.
His cooking combines his Italian heritage and global experience to create dishes which include Welsh lamb offal.
In Cardiff, MasterChef semifinalist Imran Nathoo crafted contemporary Welsh lamb kebabs at the first event of a popup restaurant series held on the rooftop of Jacob’s Market. Diners enjoyed his fusion-style cooking while watching the sun go down on the city.
Imran used the under-valued Welsh lamb shoulder as part of his dish, supplied by local butchery company Oriel Jones.
Cardiff-based Imran said: “The pop-up restaurant series is a really exciting venture for me and it was great to kick off the series with PGI Welsh Lamb, which is such a top-quality product.”
He added: “Most people tend to associate lamb with spring, but actually lamb is readily available and plentiful this time of year. For my take on a lamb kebab, I slowly cooked the very best PGI Welsh Lamb overnight, shredded it, then crisped it up in the pan. Beautiful. It went a treat with my homemade naan bread, mint yogurt, pickled onions and signature chilli sauce.”
Both events occurred during national Love Lamb Week, a grassroots initiative established by farmers and agricultural bodies to encourage consumers and chefs to buy and enjoy lamb.
Young sheep farmer and National Sheep Association Young Ambassador Caryl Hughes, from Llangollen, added: “It’s great to see a celebration of lamb across the industry and country. Both Imran and Francesco’s cooking sounds exciting and delicious and a great way to use the cuts of lamb that people often forget about.
“PGI Welsh Lamb is such a great national product which I, along with the rest of Wales’ sheep farmers, am proud to produce. Welsh lamb is in peak season now, so Love Lamb Week is the perfect opportunity for consumers to see for themselves how Wales’ outstanding natural surroundings produce outstanding Welsh lamb.”