Top tips for a great Welsh Lamb taste and summer treats

Why not turn your patio into one of London’s finest restaurants to celebrate the availability of the best new season Welsh Lamb this August?

Rustle up a quick summer treat for friends and family, courtesy of Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales’ (HCC) supermarket tour and team of top Welsh Lamb Club chefs to mark the first ‘Llamb’s Day’ on August the 1st!

HCC’s cooking and sampling trailer tour will be visiting supermarkets across south Wales, Wrexham and Bangor during August, with the first stop in Carmarthen on ‘Llamb’s Day. Shoppers can collect new and easy recipe ideas for all occasions and taste the wonders of Welsh Lamb.

PGI Welsh Lamb is easy to grill and barbecue and very versatile, bringing fabulous flavour to your al fresco dining table in minutes. Here’s some inspiration and a few taste twists from the capital’s cuisine kings!

Julian Lanclume, executive sous chef at Fortnum and Mason, says: “I love Welsh Lamb, I find it very succulent, full of flavour, so tender! The best way for me to do it is just simply grilled with a little bit of Welsh salt; keep it simple, with a nice mint hollandaise or mint sauce.

“It’s just to die for really!”

Adam Hilliard,Head Chef, Frederick’s of Islington said: “Welsh Lamb is like no other lamb! I’ve tried to use other lamb and you can just tell from opening the boxes: the sweetness, the smell and the taste is second to none. It’s faultless!

“My speciality? A timeless classic is lamb rump served with spinach, cream dauphinoise potatoes and rosemary jus. Many weddings and big functions select it, and we know we can execute it really well. The quality and taste is superior.”

Matt Greenwood,Head Chef, at Sofitel, St James said: “What I love the most about Welsh Lamb is its depth of flavour. Currently on our menu I’ve got Welsh Lamb sirloin cooked medium rare; sweet breads blanched, peeled and crumbled and kidneys as well, with a nice broth and some white beans, broad beans, slow roasted tomatoes and a wild garlic pesto – three different ways to use Welsh Lamb, all on one plate and tied together by flavour.

“But if you’re looking for a quick dish, go for the rump, trim the fat off and get it nicely seared so that the fat gets crispy; cooked medium rare with couscous and aubergine - go Moroccan style with a nice harissa.”

We asked Namita Panjabi, one of the owners of Chutney Mary restaurant in St James’ for her favourite Welsh Lamb dish and she did not hesitate to answer! “Grilled lamb chops, definitely!” She recommended marinating the meat and grilling them on the barbeque for a fantastic dish.  

Ryan Brown,Head Chef of Oblix restaurant, The Shard, London, said: “Flavour is first and foremost; many people complement us, passing by the open kitchens, that it’s the best lamb they’ve ever had!

“Try grilled lamb chops marinated with a harissa rub. For an easy dish, simply grill it with salt and pepper and serve with your favourite seasonal vegetables.”

‘Llamb’s Day’ is celebrated on the 1st August to herald the finest first new season lamb in Wales which is widely available during this time of year. It coincides with Lammas Day – or Calan Awst - which is the first harvest festival of the year.

HCC has devised a simple but special Welsh Lamb and Caerphilly Cheese burger recipe, finished off with salad and guacamole, to celebrate Llamb’s Day. Watch our video for a step-by-step guide on how to impress your friends and family this summer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-o67mhHric

For more recipe ideas and inspiration, visit our website - www.eatwelshlambandwelshbeef.com/en/recipes.