When asked what his favourite recipe was, Kevin Roberts, worldwide chief executive of Saatchi & Saatchi, replied "Simon Gault's telephone number".
Formerly personal chef to billionaire Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison, and prior to that, personal chef to Simon Fuller (the chap behind the Spice Girls), Simon is a global culinary superstar who has a remarkable talent for bringing together tastes and techniques from around the world. Originally trained in New Zealand, Simon worked in the United Kingdom at Michelin-starred Leiths Restaurant in London and at the prestigious Thornbury Castle.
Simon Gault was demonstrating at the Auckland Food Show last weekend, where he showed visitors how to make three delicious yet simple dishes. We are sharing his recipe for Kiwi Cranberry Lamb - a fantastic winter meal.
WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TAKE UP COOKING?
My parents, they were great cooks - lots of memorable meals, like an amazing macaroni cheese.
Buffalo mozzarella, Saporoso balsamic vinegar, La Dalia smoked paprika, activated almonds and, of course, my Simon Gault Home Cuisine Moroccan Seasoning and chicken stock. That's six ...
Set oven 185C. Combine all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Open the butterflied leg of lamb out on your chopping board, skin side down. Trim sinew, being careful not to cut any holes in the meat. Season with salt and pepper, spread stuffing mixture over lamb leaving a 2cm border. Tightly roll lamb and tie with kitchen twine at 2cm intervals. Transfer to a casserole dish and season generously with Simon Gault Home Cuisine Kiwi seasoning.
In a saucepan, melt butter then add onion and garlic and saute while stirring over medium heat until the onions are soft. Add the Simon Gault Home Cuisine Kiwi seasoning, celery, tomato paste and cook for a further two minutes then add the cranberry juice, Simon Gault Home Cuisine lamb stock, honey, cracked black pepper and dried cranberries. Transfer to casserole dish, pouring sauce around base of the lamb. Place uncovered casserole dish in oven.
A general rule of thumb is to cook lamb for an hour for every kilo at 185C.
Remove lamb from casserole dish and allow to rest on a large chopping board for 20 minutes. While lamb is resting, transfer all juices and vegetables from casserole dish into a saucepan. Thicken sauce with cornflour and water over medium heat to gently simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce on to your serving platter or jug, remove kitchen string from lamb and slice. Garnish with rosemary and serve with roast potatoes and green vegetables. - Serves 6
