Reasons to celebrate

National Lamb Day, on February 15, honours the work of pioneering entrepreneurs William Davidson and Thomas Brydone, who were behind the first shipment of lamb to London on board the SS Dunedin 135 years ago . The day acknowledges the world-class lamb produced by our farmers and processors, which contributes

$ 7.5 billion in annual export earnings.

This year, Beef + Lamb New Zealand ambassador chefs from restaurants around the country will be cooking a creative menu for a small audience of farmers, industry leaders and government representatives at the British High Commission in Wellington. Industry advances will be celebrated and opportunities for improvements discussed. Beef + Lamb is encouraging Kiwis to celebrate the day with a lamb meal, too. overnight. Slice the aubergine thickly, score with a sharp knife, then place on a plate. Pour the remaining marinade over the top.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water until tender or al dente. Drain well and toss in a spoonful or two of olive oil to stop the pasta from sticking.

Heat a barbecue grill or a ridged grill pan until smoking hot. Place the lamb and aubergine slices over the heat.

Cook the lamb until it’s medium rare, then cover with foil and leave it to rest for 10 minutes. Cook the aubergine until soft in the centre.

Halve the cherry tomatoes.

To serve, place the lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Neatly slice the lamb and arrange on the lettuce. Toss the aubergine slices, pasta and tomatoes together and place on top.

Decorate with basil leaves and flowers and pour over the dressing.

Serves 4.

Wine match: shiraz/syrah.