LambEx is all about lamb and all that goes with it. So what do you feed nearly 1000 delegates, lamb of course.
We’re not talking the usual chops or shanks, we are talking about a three-course fine-dining spread using every cut of the animal including shoulder that was infused with cinnamon stock slowly braised down into ‘floss’ to top off not just a palatable, but mouthwatering dessert.
The meat was flaked, pan-fried, dehydrated and dusted with a little icing sugar before it was delicately placed atop a honey cake, cinnamon, layered caramel and vanilla sponge, marinated oranges and hazelnut crunch .
The dessert was part of the three-course degustation that was developed by creative Perth chef Richard Taylor who came up with a delicious menu to serve to the hungry crowd at the Australian Wool Innovation GrandsLamb gala dinner at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC).
Mr Taylor, PCEC executive chef, came up with an a la cart dinner managing to use every part of the lamb from the shoulder, neck and leg to saddle, kidney and liver.
The flavour filled night also included an entree of pressed pickled Katanning lamb, feta crumb, shaved beetroot vine and heirloom tomatoes, basil and anchovy salt and a lamb saddle with cauliflower and sesame puree, morello cherry jam and truffled potato for main.
No stranger to the task of cooking for crowds, Sam Burke, executive chef, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) when speaking to the attending delegates, described the meal as “a true degustation of the whole animal”.
“For the first time ever at the expo ... they’re going to have lamb on dessert,” Mr Burke said.
“All these lamb producers here, they’re humble people, they want to see great Australian lamb and they want to be challenged with what we can do with it — from dirt to dessert.”
The mouthwatering feast paid homage to a subject heavily discussed at LambEx – the versatility of the animal and where it’s future with consumers, both Australian and abroad, lies.
MLA’s managing director Richard Norton said in the last 30 years lamb has gone from an only Australian product to a now multicultural product.
“In Australia 30 years ago lamb was a product that was on everyone’s table every night,” Mr Norton said.
“It was very much an Australian product to where it is today – now a multicultural product that brings people together and a product that has relevance right across the world.”
Mr Norton said he believed the versatility of lamb would help it remain relevant under the new higher price regime.
“The versatility of lamb, from the low end to fine dining, and what we do with all of the cuts, as well as getting marbling scores to restaurants – that is what will underpin it,” Mr Norton said.
Perth played host to the nation’s premium sheepmeat biennial forum which brings together producers, processors, researchers and service and education providers, from all over Australia as well as internationally, to discuss all facets of the industry.