One of the most acclaimed chefs of the past decade, Marco Pierre White, shares three succulent lamb recipes with HELLO! Online that are perfect for Easter, as well as his very own top cooking tips.
Marco began his culinary career in good company, training with Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire. At just 24, Leeds-born Marco became Head Chef and joint owner of South London restaurant Harveys, with a kitchen staff that included the young Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal. No less than six of his commis chefs have gone on to win Michelin stars.
The British chef was awarded his own third Michelin Star at the age of 33 – the first British and youngest chef ever to achieve such an accolade.
Marco Pierre White's indulgent herbed lamb chops recipe
Marco says: "This recipe for lamb chops is ideal when you want a quick and tasty dinner. Often when people cook lamb chops, they cook the meat but not the fat; and uncooked lamb fat is not very pleasant. I cook lamb chops on a griddle pan, starting them fat side down so that the fat renders down and becomes crispy. I take a lot of trouble to cook the chops carefully on all sides, turning them often and moving them round the griddle. Once the chops are cooked to your taste, spread a little Dijon mustard on one side, then coat them in finely chopped chives. This is a classic French way of serving them which both looks great and tastes delicious."
Marco Pierre White's rump of lamb with fresh mint sauce
"In summertime I like my food to be simple and light," explains Marco, whose restaurant empire has included some of London's finest restaurants including the Criterion, Mirabelle, L'Escargot, Quo Vadis and Luciano. "This dish can be cooked on the barbecue or indoors. It's my take on a classic roast lamb Sunday lunch, turned into the perfect meal for a sunny day when you don't want to spend ages in a hot kitchen. Here I use thin lamb rump steaks, which can be cooked on a griddle pan or a barbecue in minutes. Simply serve them on a plate of cooked peas with a fresh mint sauce poured over."
Marco Pierre White's lamb shanks stockpot
"I'm using Knorr chicken stock, which is not as strong as beef, as I want the flavour of the lamb to come through," says Marco, whose father and grandfather were both chefs. "I adore the taste of lamb and this simple, rustic way of cooking lamb shanks works really well – letting the flavour of the lamb shine through. Lamb shanks are very popular in restaurants, but people don't cook them very often at home, which is a pity as they're cheap and also very tasty.
This is a very easy recipe using lamb shanks, which I simmer slowly and gently in stock until the meat is so tender that it's falling off the bone. If you've got people coming round, you can cook the lamb a day or so before, so that all you have to do on the day is simply warm it up and cook the vegetables to go with the dish. You can't go wrong."