I Love Aussie Lamb

 The better red meat option for your heart

By Earl D.V. Bracamonte

There must be a good reason why lamb is the preferred meat of the Scriptures. Like clean, deep sea fishes, it is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, and therefore good for your heart.

And I would understand why diners must have disliked it in the first place. The answer is simple. What you ate must have been mutton, or, in lay man’s terms, the meat of older sheep which is way tougher and kind of offensive to the olfactory.

On a recent food tasting trip to Tagaytay, the Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), through Chef Roby Go of Elaia by Cyma, together with 14 other chefs and their restaurants, proffered savoury lamb dishes that took away my initial dislike for lamb meat.

The intimate luncheon, simply dubbed “I Love Aussie Lamb,” featured 25 dishes from 14 different dining places – all highlighting the versatility of Aussie lab.

Each of the chefs, and their restos, received different parts of the lamb to prepare.

Elaia by Cyma received the flank. “We made Hellenic do-it-yourself wraps and cooked Basmati rice with lamb drippings, plus we also roasted an 18 kilogram lamb,” enthused Chef Roby.

Anya’s Resort, with Chef Mikel Arriet, received the shank and charcoal grilled it to perfection with salt & pepper.

Asador Dos Mestizos, with Chef Monica Escalona, proffered Lamb paella and lamb chorizo with humus.

Anzani & Villa Sommet, with Chef Marco Anzani, who got the rack of lamb made charbroiled cutlets with couscous.

Farmer’s Table, with Chef Kalel Chan, got the lamb’s shanks and prepared Bicol Express with grilled pineapple.

Gorio’s Roadside, with Chef Marc Licaros & Mike Alvarez, who are big with comfort food, made Lamb calderetta from parts of the short rib, shoulder, and leg.

Fatima’s & the Mama Lou’s Group, with Chef Karl Manlapaz, a Halal-certified dining place, who got the short loin made a Tausug dish and Rendang Mindanao.

Reynaldo’s Steakhouse, with Chef Mona Duay, got the shoulder and grilled the same; serving it with salsa. She also made Smoked Lamb Brisket that was cooked for 8 to 10 hours, garnishing it with cherry tomatoes and Bordelaise sauce.

Taal Vista Hotel, with Chef Jayme Natividad, got the lamb’s bone and made a delectable consomme with queso de bola.

Textures by Chef Christopher Tamayo, who got the lamb’s shoulders, hot braised it with cognac for 18 hours!

The Fatted Calf, with Chef JJ Sycip, got the leg part, and inspired by our very own balbacua, made his take of the soup with its sticky texture. He also made a salad using morsels from the ribs.

Butcher’s Steaks and Grill, by Chef Ariel Manuel, got the rump and neck. He marinated the rump with a Tandori spice blend prior to cooking.

“Australia is big on food safety. You can actually trace the meat where it came from,” informed MLA’s business development manager Byron Sison Jr., during a sit-down exclusive.

Simply check your Google Maps for the locations of the aforementioned Tagaytay foodstops.