Aussie meat fans, say G’day to Chef Robert Sisca of Bistro du Midi, a Provençal restaurant in Boston. As of now, chef Sisca is practicing his Aussie phrases for the trip down under he won in our most recent chef competition! Chef Sisca’s dish – Rye Cavatelli with Australian Lamb Neck Ragu – took home the top prize, beating out some stiff local competition and impressing a discerning panel of judges. We caught up with him to learn more about his cooking style and his winning dish.
TA: What was the inspiration for your dish?
Robert: We’re a southern French restaurant, and I wanted to do something that really celebrated spring, especially after the brutal winter we had. At Bistro du Midi, handmade pastas are a popular part of the menu, and it doesn’t get much more “Spring” than lamb with morels and fresh peas!
TA: Why did you choose the lamb necks?
Robert: For braising, I really love lamb necks. They’re a little bit different than your typical shoulder for braising, and they give you an amazing liaison, that classic silky smooth, unctuous sauce from all the collagen in the neck.
TA: The caraway is an interesting twist that shows up all through the recipe, in the pasta, the spice blend on the lamb, and even the vegetables. What inspired that classic “rye” flavor?
Robert: Caraway is a classic pairing with meats in France, especially lamb. It gives you an earthy, anise-like dimension that pairs really well. It makes the pasta much more interesting, too.
TA: What about the orange juice and cabernet vinegar?
Robert: Those flavors are another Provençal thing – you’ll find lavender and orange zest or juice as a little touch in a lot of our dishes. In this one, both the vinegar and the orange juice provide that little lift of acidity to what’s otherwise a pretty over-the-top rich dish. Especially when you reduce the lamb jus, the savory flavor is super-concentrated, so it needs that flash of acid.
TA: What’s the key to getting guests to order lamb?
Robert: Our guests are pretty open to having lamb, but for the few that are hesitant, being able to assure them that it’s not going to be “gamey” is important. They look for quality indicators like grassfed on the menu, too.
TA: What do you like about cooking with Aussie lamb?
Robert: The fact that it’s all-natural, and has that really clean flavor. We use Aussie Wagyu beef and black winter truffles from Australia too, and I haven’t been able to get out to many producers and farms since my twin boys were born. I can’t wait to get to see the lamb ranches up close in Australia!