This month’s Featured Chef, Australian-born Craig Hopson, has a preference for Australian Lamb—though he’s not just being patriotic. One draw for him is Australian Lamb’s consistency. “Your level of quality and tenderness is always the same. Cutting and trimming is always the same,” he says.     

We asked Chef Craig to share a few of his favorite dish and menu pairings. Here’s what he had to say. 

On the plate: “Classic Mediterranean foods like chickpeas, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes are a perfect pairing for Australian lamb,” says Hopson. His pairing du jour is easy-to-make chickpea panisse, baked or fried chickpea cakes with a polenta-like texture and an affinity for tender lamb loin. His recipe:     

Chickpea Panisse

Servings

1 half sheet pan    

Ingredients  

2.75 quarts chicken stock

4 ounces garlic confit, passed through a sieve

0.75 quart chickpea flour, sifted

5 ounces extra virgin olive oil

2.5 tablespoons salt

Directions     

1. Bring stock to a boil.    
2. Add garlic confit to boiling stock and whisk.    
3. Slowly, whisk in sifted flour. Mixture will start to thicken.    
4. Turn heat to low and scrape bottom and sides with a rubber spatula.     
5. Cook for 20 minutes.    
6. Take off heat and using a stick blender, add salt and olive oil.    
7. Pour mixture onto a sheet tray that is lined with parchment paper and olive oil.    
8. Cool 5–10 minutes, cover the top surface with parchment paper and let set in fridge.      

Like polenta, chickpea panisse offers a rich, savory flavor all its own, and its texture is also made to soak up a range of sauces.      

To Try

Substitute chickpea panisse for the zucchini, walnut and caper couscous in this quick, Mediterranean-inspired recipe.    

On the Holiday Menu

A flavorful beet salad with goat cheese, walnuts and watercress is a great way to introduce diners to a classic holiday lamb dish, like this semi-boneless leg of lamb with roasted potatoes.

For a casual holiday dinner (the kind he’d prepare for friends), Chef Craig suggests a slow-cooked lamb shoulder, accompanied by a Tabbouleh-style dish with bulgur, along with kale or other sautéed greens. As a first course, try a shrimp salad with cucumbers and almonds.

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