“I grew up in outback Northern Territory, on a cattle station," explains author Lynton Tapp. "I loved that life: living out in the middle of nowhere, producing your own food, cooking on a campfire, fishing, hunting, eating bush bananas off the vines and looking for conkerberries. This was my introduction to native Australian produce.”

Lynton Tapp captured Australia’s hearts as runner-up on MasterChef Australia in 2013. Dubbed the ‘Stockman’ on the show, this 27-year-old cattleman-turned- chef has a love of cooking that is inspired by the outdoors and the ‘paddock-to- plate’ experiences of his childhood. Now Lynton brings the tastes of the outback pantry to you in this wonderful new cookbook.

The food of the Northern Territory is a melting pot of mouth-watering flavours, from the spices of Asia to the bush foods of the outback. Outback Pantry showcases these flavours in a fantastic collection of Lynton’s modern Australian recipes that are easy to create at home. ‘The Pantry’ chapter has recipes for stocks, sauces and marinades that can be used in a variety of dishes, while further chapters include twists on traditional recipes, such as The Crackling Lover’s Pork Belly, Beef Stew with Pepper Dumplings, and Brussels Not Like Your Grandma’s. There are also many contemporary fusion dishes, such as Whole Baked Barramundi with Pomelo, Sichuan Fried Chicken Ribs, and Bob’s Outback Steamed Pudding with Coconut Caramel.

With its thriving outdoor markets, vibrant food festivals and award-winning restaurants, the Northern Territory is now firmly on the map for intrepid foodies. From the tropical Top End to the atmospheric Red Centre, and all the way to the top of Katherine Gorge, this amazing region offers unique and memorable culinary experiences like no other. In this book, Lynton brings together the incredibly diverse flavours of this beautiful territory, and offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the farmers and producers who work so tirelessly to bring its bounty to Australia and beyond.

Having grown up on a cattle farm in the Northern Territory, Lynton Tapp’s first big break came when he became a contestant on the successful MasterChef TV show in series 5. Since the show, Lynton has become Foodbank Victoria’s first ambassador and delivered food to bushfire-affected areas of Victoria. He’s also spent time cooking in the kitchen of fine-dining restaurant Pei Modern in Melbourne, and acted as an ambassador for Tourism NT. Most recently, Lynton has been a part of Tourism Australia’s new initiative Restaurant Australia, which sent him to London to cook for the Duchess of Cornwall on Australia Day in 2015. Lynton is a proud country boy who seeks to champion the efforts of Australia’s tireless food producers.

Outback Pantry - food and stories from outback Australia, by Lynton Tapp, published by Hardie Grant Publishing, 2015, rrp A$39.95 hardback.