Is lamb the ideal BBQ meat? You have to admit, there is nothing quite like juicy lamb, which stokes the flames of the grill and chars to perfection. The gamey flavour of lamb can handle the heat and drinks up the smokiness of the BBQ like no other meat – the #TastyEasyLamb initiative offers plenty of tempting summer lamb recipes.
Add to this the fact that lamb has the perfect meat to fat ratio to remain juicy and tender when exposed to high heat and it is pretty difficult for other meats to compete.
Should we be lucky enough to get some sunny days this summer, we’ll be faced with the difficult food choice of BBQ or picnic, but handily enough lamb is perfect to enjoy al fresco in either capacity. Fresh off the coals on the BBQ at home or packed up in a picnic basket, these recipes are ideal for lazy summer outdoor dining. For more delicious lamb dish inspiration visit www.tastyeasylamb.ie.
Pink lamb and potato salad is basically summer in a bite, and there is no easier recipe to shake up your BBQ game with lamb than this beautiful Grilled Lamb Cutlets Recipe. In just 5 minutes, you can have perfectly cooked cutlets you can eat like lollipops! These cutlets are just irresistible with potato salad spiked with mint and tarragon – two of lamb’s best herby friends and another lamb enhancing ingredient, mustard.
Tip: French trimmed lamb cutlets work best here, so ask your butcher to prepare yours this way and take the hassle out of this dish. These cutlets are also tasty cold, so pack up your potato salad and lamb and head off on a picnic – and don’t forget to pack a nice bottle of Rioja too!
These spicy lamb chops have a Mexican edge guaranteed to get you in the summer mood – throw your lamb chops on the barbecue while you whip up the delicious avocado salsa. Lamb is flavoursome enough to stand up to bold spicing and flavours, so don’t be afraid to add in some chopped chillies or jalapenos to turn up the heat on this vibrant dish.
Tip: Amp up the Mexican vibes in this dish by serving with some tortilla chips to scoop up the salsa and if you do decide to make it spicier with chillies, you can always serve some sour cream too to cool things down and keep everyone happy!
Lamb may not be the first meat you think of when making a light summer salad, but cuts like lamb fillet and lamb leg steak are super lean, cook in a matter of minutes and pack a protein and iron punch to boot. This Lamb Panzanella recipe is like an Irish take on the classic Italian salad which uses stale bread to soak up the delicious flavours – this is a great dish to enjoy al fresco at home or to pack up for a picnic and is so light and summery.
Tip: For the dressing, if you’re not a pesto fan you can swap it for black olive tapenade, which is rich and salty enough to season the lamb and draw out its subtle sweetness when loosened with a dash of red wine or sherry vinegar. It’s so easy to make your own tapenade at home – simply blend the best olives you can get your hands on with olive oil and garlic and serve with any kind of lamb dish!
The perfect portable picnic treat, quiche is a slice of deliciousness made all the more tasty with the addition of leftover roast lamb. This Lamb and Spinach Quiche recipe is packed with iron rich spinach and pine nuts, this quiche is enriched further with salty feta which is always a winning combination with lamb.
Tip: If the weather forecast is looking good for the day ahead you can whip this dish up the night before, as it will slice better if refrigerated overnight. If you’re not a feta fan, feel free to substitute with crumbly blue cheese or goats cheese.
This Lamb Kebabs recipe is ideal both for a BBQ or a picnic, and is basically two wonderful recipes in one with a herby tabbouleh as well as the deliciously rich and spiced kebabs. This recipe uses the unsung hero cut of the lamb world, meltingly delicious shoulder, which is marinated in sumac, a zingy Middle Eastern spice blend which makes lamb’s flavour sing.
Tip: This is another dish you can make ahead, leaving the meat to marinate overnight in a lemon based marinade breaks down some of the proteins, making it even more tender and infusing the lamb with the spices. If you’re not a raisin fan, dried dates, prunes and apricots work well as substitutes and all lend a fantastic sweet contrast to meaty lamb shoulder.
FEATURE BY DARINA COFFEY
Growing up with the name Darina, I was constantly asked if I could cook like my namesake. With that(and greed) as the ultimate motivator, I realised that baked goods make excellent bribes and an obsession was born! I am the only person to have contested both Masterchef and the Great Irish Bake off, fuelling my desire to focus on food in a serious way. Working with TheTaste allows me to satisfy this craving and marries my food fascination with my love of writing and ranting.
Darina Coffey Darina Coffey
RECIPE BY LAMB – TASTY, EASY, FUN
This recipe was created for the ‘Lamb – Tasty, Easy, Fun Campaign’, a new campaign launched in association with Bord Bia with co-funding from the EU. Visit www.tastyeasylamb.ie a tasty and fun destination for all things lamb.
@Bordbia @BordBia