Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) continues to push the education on Australian lamb with its global Lambassador initiative.
The initiative celebrates the fantastic flavours of high-quality and nutritious Australian lamb in Singapore and globally.
Launched in Singapore in 2020, four Singapore chef Lambassadors are now part of abglobal network of lamb ambassadors, driving greater awareness of the versatility andbaccessibility of Australian lamb in the market.
Lambassadors are passionate about educating and inspiring everyone to eat more Australian lamb.
Based on MLA Global Consumer Tracker Singapore (2021), the Little Red Dot tends to stray from the meat because Singaporeans are unfamiliar with Australian lamb – they enjoy it when they dine out but lack the general knowledge of preparing and cooking the red meat at home.
These insights have led to a series of projects with the Lambassador initiative and its handpicked Lambassadors. They create tantalisingly delicious and innovative lamb menus that one can try at any of the Lambassadors’ restaurants. These recipes can also be adapted at home for families to enjoy.
On August 29, 2022, selected Singapore media were treated to an intimate Lambassador masterclass session. I was one of them.
MLA Master Butcher Calvin Gung first gave a demonstration, where he showcased the different lamb cuts available.
Calvin explained the versatility of Australian lamb – how it can be used for Asian, like Japanese or Korean, on top of Western cuisines, and how Singapore has a multitude of touchpoints from retailers to dining venues for consumers to experience quality Aussie lamb.
These include CS fresh, NTUC Fairprice, Little Farms, Ryan’s Grocery, MONTI, REBEL REBEL, Meatsmith and many more.
After chatting about the inner workings of lamb and sharing an array of cuisines that lamb can be integrated into, Calvin handed the session to the Singapore Lambassadors, Executive Chef Eddie Goh from Meatsmith Telok Ayer, Executive Chef Felix Chong from MONTI and Chef Alysia Chan from REBEL REBEL.
The team of culinary talents were tasked to select a cut of their choice and prepare a dish for the assembled media.
Chef Eddie presented a delectable Lamb Kebab using lamb shoulder, Chef Felix chose a classic Lamb Rack that was roasted to perfection and Chef Alysia toook us out of our comfort zones with a tender and flavourful Lamb Tartare using the loins.
The Lambassadors shared key learnings and insights on Australian lamb from their recent paddock-to-plate experience in Melbourne, Australia, where they had the chance to learn more about lamb producers and exchange ideas and knowledge with other Lambassador chefs worldwide.
“I believe Australia produces great lamb in terms of the taste profile. People expect it to taste gamey or resemble mutton or even goat, but that is not the case. Aussie lamb is different and if you cook it right or visit a venue that understands the meat, you’ll enjoy it just as much as us,” said Singapore Lambassador Felix Chong from MONTI.
We finished the session with industry knowledge and expertise on cooking lamb at home and what to look out for when we dine out.
“Singaporeans can look forward to more lamb recipe ideas and preparation tips from our Lambassador community. I have had some of my best Aussie lamb meals in Singapore, and it is fantastic to see that chefs are pushing the boundaries in terms of innovative cooking, using all parts of the lamb such as shank, ribs, necks,” said MLA Regional Manager Southeast Asia Valeska.
“It is also in line with minimising food waste and being more sustainable – which are Australian red meat industry goals as well”.
MLA will continue to provide learning opportunities similar to the masterclasses. Foodies and chefs can follow the Lambassadors’ journey at https://lambassadors.com/sg.
Some of the recipes
Roasted Australian Lamb Rack
Recipe By: Felix Chong (Monti –1 Group)
Minced Lamb | Pistachio | Allium | Broccolini | Butternut Puree | Crepinette| Mustard & Mint Jus
Lamb Cuts: Neck / Forequater / Shank / Rack/ Ribs / Short Loin/ Tenderloin / Chump / Leg/
Cooking Style:Stir-Fry / BBQ / Pan Fry / Roast/ Hot Pot / Sous Vide
Type of Cuisine:Italian/ Asian / European / Indian / Middle Eastern / Western
Main Ingredients: ribs, Lamb Leg, Lamb Rack, Pistachio, Rosemary, Crepinette, Parma Ham, Black garlic, Kewpie mayonnaise, Broccolini, Butternut Puree, Veal jus, Whole grain mustard, Fresh mint, Unsalted butter
Directions: Debone the lamb, mince it. Season with salt, pepper, chopped pistachio and rosemary. Mould it back onto the lamb rack, wrapped with parma ham and Crepinette. Vacuum pack and sous vide at 60.5 degrees for 45 minutes. Deep fry it until it becomes golden brown.
Lamb Tartare
Recipe By: Alysia Chan(Rebel Rebel)
Lamb Cuts:Neck / Forequater / Shank / Rack/ Ribs / Short Loin/ Tenderloin/ Chump / Leg
Cooking Style:Stir-Fry / BBQ / Pan Fry / Roast/ Hot Pot / Sous Vide
Type of Cuisine:Italian/ Asian / European / Indian / Middle Eastern / Western/
Main Ingredients: Lamb Leg, finely chopped Medjool dates, chopped Pistachio, Banana shallots, brunoise, Toasted Buckwheat, Large Basil leaves, roughly chopped, Quail eggs, Sourdough, Baguette, Dressing, Spiced coconut vinegar, Dijon mustard, Garlic, Grapeseed oil, Chilli padi (optional)
Directions: To make the dressing, blend all dressing ingredients together with a blender. Thinly slice baguette diagonally, lay slices on an oven proof tray, drizzle with olive oil, season lightly with salt and pepper, bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes till golden brown. In a mixing bowl, mix lamb, dates, shallots, basil, dressing, salt and pepper till thoroughly mixed. Plate lamb tartare in a ring mold, making a shallow well in the middle. Separate the quail egg yolk and place in the well of the tartare. Garnish the sides around the yolk with toasted buckwheat. Remove ring mold and serve lamb tartare with baguette crisps.
Note:Keep raw lamb chilled below 5 degrees at all times. Use loin cuts for easy chopping and tenderness, Use trimmed leg cuts for more bite and flavour.
Lamb Kebab
Recipe By:Eddie Goh (Meat Smith –Burnt Ends Group)
Lamb Cuts:Neck / Forequater/ Shank / Rack/ Ribs / Short Loin/ Tenderloin/ Chump / Leg
Cooking Style:Stir-Fry / BBQ/ Pan Fry / Roast/ Hot Pot / Sous Vide
Type of Cuisine:Italian/ Asian / European / Indian / Middle Eastern/ Western
Main Ingredients: Lamb Shoulder, Brine, Buttermilk, Water, Salt, Garlic Puree, Pitas, Bread Flour, Masa Harina, Dry Yeast, Mama (Levian), Cold Water, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kebab Salad, Shredded Butter Head, Lettuce Peeled, Black Olives, Cherry Tomtato, Chopped Mint, Chopped Parsley, Shallot Rings, Mozzarella Cheese, Aioli
Directions: Brine the lamb shoulder for at least 24hours, remove from the brine and place it in the smoker or oven at 100°Cfor at least 3-4 hours, then spray with apple cider on the shoulder every 30 minutes until fork tender. Place a tray under the shoulder to collect jus from the shoulder. Mix all ingredients with a kitchen aid on lowspeed for 3-5 minutes except olive oil until it forms a dough then increase to medium speed and slowly drizzle in olive oil. Mix on medium speed until passes window panel and smooth. Poof at room temperature in a well oiled container. Portion to the size you desire.
Go out and cook with Aussie lamb and in Singapore you can savour lamb dishes from a repertoire of international cuisines from America, Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean.
With Australia’s abundance of wide-open spaces, Australian lamb is proudly free-range, mild-tasting and naturally lean and tender. Australian farmers take a natural approach to sustainable farming, working alongside the government to be an industry that aims to be carbon neutral by 2030.
Learn more about Australian lamb, the Lambassadors and the broader initiatives at
https://www.
Meat & Livestock Australia
A producer-owned company, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) delivers world-class marketing, research and development services for the Australian beef, lamb and goat producers. True Aussie Beef & Lamb is the global brand used by MLA to promote Australian red meat in export markets, representing Australian beef, lamb and goat and veal. While supporting exporters to get their product into the market, MLA also works with supermarkets, hotels, and restaurants through the global brand of True Aussie Beef & Lamb sharing the value of having such products and telling the True Aussie Beef & Lamb story to consumers.
Australia currently exports red meat and livestock to more than 100 countries, representing over 70% of the industry’s production. Representing Australia’s high-quality and sustainably produced red meat, MLA also designs and delivers marketing programs tailored to each market with the overall objectives of increasing market access, market shares and sales of beef, lamb and goat meat.
