Brad sources his beef and lamb in Paeroa at Harmony Meats, a company with SPCA tick of approval for organic produce.
One of the favourite dishes with his bistro customers is a beef fillet with a potato, parmesan and pancetta terrine, a carrot, thyme and ginger emulsion, and a poppy seed and chilli sable with salsa verde.
Marc Soper, from Wharekauhau Lodge in the Wairarapa, is also a first-time ambassador.
When he became executive chef at the lodge, he went searching for the perfect beef and lamb.
He noticed, while talking to a neighbour, that the farmer was gently scratching a bull on the back. The bull remained calm so Marc thought that if the bull was so relaxed then the other animals must be too - and that would result in tender, very high quality meat.
Marc's lamb comes from Wharekauhau Estate and he mixes and matches it with what's available in the extensive lodge garden.
For lunch he often serves a rack of lamb or a lamb tongue terrine with garden veges and walnuts, or slow-cooked beef, pulled then stuffed into home-made cannelloni.
The other ambassadors are: Ryan Tattersall, Cobar Restaurant, Days Bay, Wellington; Reon Hobson, Pescatore, The George Hotel, Christchurch; and Ken O'Connell, Bracken Restaurant, Dunedin.
As well as receiving special recognition for their achievements the ambassadors are involved in promoting beef and lamb at events throughout the country.
Today's recipes are my take on the pleasures of beef and lamb.
RECIPES
GARLIC, MUSTARD & HONEY LAMB RACK
A simple but super lamb rack treatment.
Vegetables: 1 large orange kumara
1 red onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Lamb: 4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 tbsp each: creamed honey, Dijon-style mustard, olive oil
Freshly ground salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
500g lamb rack (8-9 cutlets), trimmed
Set the oven to 190C.
Peel and cut the kumara into 3cm rounds. Quarter the onion and divide into thick petals. Place in a roasting dish with the garlic, olive oil and seasonings. Roast for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the paste for the lamb rack. Chop the garlic, sprinkle with salt and squash to a paste with the blade of a heavy knife. Combine with breadcrumbs, honey, mustard, olive oil, seasonings and parsley. Pat on to the back of the rack.
Put the lamb on the vegetables and roast for 20 minutes. Cover and rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 3-4
PULLED BEEF CANNELLONI
Freshly made pasta turned into cannelloni tubes is the best. However, dried cannelloni is also great.
Vegetables: 2 tbsp olive oil
1 each: large carrot, onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Beef: 1kg boneless beef shin
2 cups good beef stock
1 handful thyme sprigs
3/4 cup cream
2 tbsp each: whole grain mustard, balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp flour
Pasta: 400g cannelloni tubes
1/2 cup each: panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan. Saute vegetables and garlic until lightly coloured. Put in a slow cooker. Brown the shin in the remaining oil. Place flat on top of veges. Add stock and thyme. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours. Remove the beef and shred using two forks.
Set oven to 180C.
Strain sauce into a saucepan, pressing on the veges to extract as much flavour as possible. Add cream, mustard and balsamic vinegar. Bring to the boil. Combine flour with a little of the mixture then stir into sauce. Simmer, until thickened.
Add a half cup of the sauce to the meat. Mix well. Stuff into the cannelloni tubes.
Place in a buttered baking dish. Pour in remaining sauce. Sprinkle with combined breadcrumbs, parmesan and parsley.
Bake for about 20 minutes. Serves 6-8
TANDOORI SKEWERS WITH MINT SAMBOL
Lamb + summer barbecues = yum
500g lean lamb leg steaks
2-3 tbsp prepared tandoori paste
1/4 cup plain yoghurt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Mint Sambol: 1 tsp grated root ginger
1/4 cup each: plain yoghurt, finely chopped mint
Cut the lamb into 3cm cubes. Thread on 4 or 8 skewers. Combine tandoori paste with yoghurt and garlic. Brush over the skewers. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine the sambol ingredients in a bowl.
Grill or barbecue the lamb for about 3 minutes each side. Spoon the sambol on top. Great with a crisp red onion and tomato salad plus crisp salad greens combined with rocket. Serves 4
VIETNAMESE-STYLE BEEF FILLET
To make slicing easier, freeze the meat for around 30 minutes before preparation.
4 tbsp brown rice oil
500g beef fillet, thinly sliced
4 tbsp oyster sauce
2 spring onions, thinly sliced in 5cm lengths
1 cup snow peas, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 tsp fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a wok. Stir-fry the beef with the oyster sauce for 1 minute, until just cooked. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil and saute the spring onions and snow peas for 1 minute
Add the fish sauce and garlic.
Return the beef to the pan, toss together with the sesame seeds and serve. Serves 4.
