Barbecue roasted rack of lamb with mint, garlic and yogurt sauce.

The advertising industry knows how to milk an idea and run with it until it is as dead as Burke and Wills’ last camel, as anyone who has switched on a television, radio computer recently might know. Sam Kekovich isn’t dead by a long shot, but for the eighth year in succession he barks his way in an obnoxious monotone through a sea of bad puns in the Australia Day lamb campaign. It’s done to death, like a barbecue chop that has fallen into the coals. Throw it to the dog.

But don’t let the campaign put you off. Buy a lamb rack and light the barbecue. These long warm nights won't last forever. Go outside and enjoy the aroma of barbecued lamb with a hint of mint and garlic drifting across the garden.

The mint is reaching for the sky in its captive cell in the back garden, so let’s use some. Pick a dozen sprigs of mint and use these to line a large square of foil. Place the lamb rack on the mint. Give it a generous squirt of vinegar, and a good shake of salt. Toss in a few unpeeled cloves of garlic. Now wrap the rack carefully in the foil, overlapping the edges.

Place it on the barbecue slightly offset to the hottest area and bone-side up. Place a large lid over it. Place some parboiled whole small potatoes under the lid, around the rack. Lift the lid after thirty minutes. Depending on size, barbecue heat, distance of grill from coals, number of drinks you’ve had, phase of the moon, time of day etc etc, the lamb should be rare and the potatoes should be done and redolent of garlic and mint.

Remove the foil from the lamb, and place it back on the grill to sear. This stage is optional. I like at rare and unseared. Remove and rest ten minutes, then carve into individual rib chops. Serve on a bed of more fresh mint with the potatoes on the side, and a sauce of minted yogurt (shred mint, fold through greek-style yogurt) to accompany. A green salad with asparagus. Cold white wine.