meat » Stories from the Farm

Traditional Lamb Stir-Fry

Apr 142013

With soccer season in full swing our family schedule is busier than ever.

And with everyone going in different directions, cooking dinner has become a shared responsibility. Needless to say, dishes that are both easy and filling are big hits with everyone in our house, especially the chef!

(add or subtract vegetables to your liking and/or what you have on hand.)

Enjoy!

Traditional Lamb Stir-Fry

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine or water
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 pound American Lamb leg, cut into strips
3 medium carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, sliced diagonally
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
6 green onions, sliced diagonally
1 can (2 ounces) diced pimento, drained
Hot cooked rice

Instructions

Toast seeds in wok; set aside.
In small bowl, combine soy sauce, wine, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, pepper and cayenne. Set aside.
Heat wok or large skillet; heat oil. When hot, add lamb strips; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add carrots, celery and mushrooms; stir-fry with lamb for an additional 2 minutes. Remove lamb and vegetables from wok; keep warm. Add soy sauce mixture to wok; stir until mixture begins to thicken. Immediately add lamb and cooked vegetables; add pea pods, cabbage, chestnuts, onions and pimento. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve with hot cooked rice.

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Braising Lamb Shanks

braising, lamb, meat, recipes No Responses »

Dec 152012

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGfViIDZ62U?feature=player_detailpage&w=640&h=360]

One of my favorite meals for a cold and dreary day! Serve over mashed potatoes with a fresh salad, rustic bread and a glass of Cabernet and you have a fabulous treat for one or a reason to invite over your family and friends. Either way it is the ultimate in comfort food!

Video used with permission by the American Lamb Board.

Meat Spice Rubs

chops, grilling, herbs, marinades, meat No Responses »

Dec 012012

Just in time for the holidays, we are offering five of our family’s favorite meat rubs. They make fun stocking stuffers, great additions to gift baskets, and unique hostess gifts. We will have them available throughout the month of December at the Dupont Circle Farmers Market in Washington, DC. Blends include Moroccan, Mediterranean, Creole, Blackening, and Savory Cocoa.

Priced at $5 per 1.5 oz packet.

A $5 Bucket of Potatoes & Shepherd’ Pie

lamb, meat, recipes No Responses »

Sep 142012

I stopped by my father-in-law’s house the other day to check in and see if the lambs were still getting in the yard. Between the lambs and baby goats this year, keeping the yard off limits has been a major struggle. It could be that the manicured lawn and ornamental flowers are beckoning beyond restraint. Or maybe, like most kids, they just can’t resist the urge to jump over the cattle guard or sneak under the fence and since they are already there, have a taste. At any rate, it appears that they are doing less damage to our grandmother’s gardens.

While talking to Farmer Dave, I couldn’t help but notice the two five gallon buckets of potatoes sitting on the kitchen floor still sporting dirt from being freshly dug. Being one who marvels at all the varieties of heirloom vegetables, I am sure my face lit up as I asked him more about them. They were Kennebec potatoes, a variety of white potato developed in Maine, great for boiling and baking. And, in his words, the potato all serious ole time gardeners from around here grow. Turns out they are a hard potato, one that stores exceptionally well, a huge plus for those who grow their own food.

I batted my eyelashes once or twice to signal that I was once again wanting access to one of Dad’s friends, being that he is one of the “ole timers from around here” and even after twenty five years, I am not (uh-hmm, from here). He quickly caved and gave up his source. After a quick phone call, I handed Dad a five dollar bill as instructed and he promised he would deliver them the next day. WOW! Five dollars for a whole five gallon bucket of home grown potatoes! They had to weigh close to 30 or 40 pounds. I would have purchased more, had I not been the proud recipient of the very last bucket.

Being raised by a meat-and-potatoes man, then marrying one, I have learned to fix potatoes in numerous ways. I boil them, bake them, and mash them. I make a mean potato cake, herbed home fries and a cheesy au gratin. With football season about to begin, and my never ending hope that fall will be here soon, I thought I would feature my new potatoes in a shepherd’s pie this evening.

A quick distinction: A shepherd is one who watches over a flock of sheep. Thus a Shepherd’s Pie (or sometimes called a Cottage Pie) is always made with ground lamb. I often see recipes online calling for ground beef in a Shepherd’s Pie. Ground beef can be used but then it is traditionally called a Rancher’s Pie. This winter I’ll share my recipe for Rancher’s Pie made with mashed sweet potatoes.

True Shepherd’ Pie

: Janet Childs

: 4

Ingredients

4-5 medium potatoes
¼ cup butter, diced
½-1/3 milk
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 pound ground lamb
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
3-4 large carrots, diced small
1 cup frozen peas
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
½ cup red wine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

Peel potatoes and cut into ½” cubes. Add to medium pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil until fork soft approximately 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Meanwhile, brown ground lamb in deep sided sauté pan over medium heat. Cook until all meat is brown. Drain fat.
Add carrots and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Add onions and garlic, cooking for an additional 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
Add flour, thyme, rosemary, and tomato paste. Stir until well combined.
Stir in beef stock, wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Gently stir in peas. Reduce heat to low and let simmer.
Drain potatoes. Add butter and cover pan until butter melts. Season with salt and pepper.
Add milk to potatoes and using potato masher or hand mixer, mash potatoes until thick and creamy. Add egg yolks and stir until well combined.
Pour lamb mixture into a large greased casserole dish. Using a serving spoon, drop spoonfuls of mashed potatoes over lamb mixture until evenly cover. Sprinkle with cheese.
Place in oven and bake of 30-35 minutes. Cheese and potatoes will begin to brown on top.
Remove and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

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Moroccan Tagine with Apricots and Honey

cooking, fruit, lamb, meat, recipes No Responses »

Sep 072012

This is one of the first Moroccan Lamb Tagines I created years ago. I started with a rather complicated recipe I found in a North African cookbook and simplified it to maximize taste while keeping ingredients easy to find, most of which I keep on hand.

Moroccan Tagine with Apricots and Honey

: Janet Childs

Ingredients

2-3 pounds lamb shoulder chops
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, halved and sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken stock
1 – 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
8 threads saffron, crushed
2 tablespoons honey
12 fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup dried apricots
½ cup golden raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cut lamb into one inch boneless cubes. Season with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, pepper and salt.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in heavy bottom Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add lamb in small batches to allow for plenty of room. Using tongs turn meat and brown on all sides. Remove lamb and set aside. Repeat until all lamb is browned. Set aside.
Add sliced onion and garlic to Dutch oven. Cook until onions are translucent, scraping bottom of pan to release all the browned bits. Add cooked lamb, chicken stock, diced tomatoes, saffron, honey, cilantro, apricots, and raisins to pan.
Remove from stove, cover and place in a 325 degree preheated oven and cook for 1½ to 2 hours or until meat is fork tender.
Serve over jasmine rice or couscous.

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Father, Son, and a Venison Tenderloin

family, grilling, meat, recipes No Responses »

Aug 292012

Both of my boys love to cook and are quite good at it. My oldest son spent years as the head cook in a local restaurant. My youngest, well, he has become the true hunter-gather of the family.

This past winter Brady shot his first deer, a historical passage from boy- into manhood. Corey and I believe experiential learning is the best teacher, so Corey did his best to turn this opportunity into a learning experience.

All of my children have been in the cooler at the processing plant and have seen a whole steer, hog, and lamb hanging before it is cut and packaged. Corey often organizes carcass workshops for local 4-H kids so they can visualize how meat is graded as well as understand where the cuts of meat are located. The more they can connect pasture to plate the more respect they have for their job raising animals. However, a carcass before it has been cut into steaks still looks like a big hunk of meat. We wanted Brady to have a deeper connection now that he was interested in hunting.

Brady shot his deer on the last day of hunting season. With Corey’s help, Brady gutted and prepared the deer for harvesting. An Old Hunter stopped by the farm and offered to assist the guys in cutting and packaging the deer. As the Old Hunter efficiently broke down the carcass, Corey and Brady diligently wrapped every steak and roast. To pass the time the Old Hunter, having hunted for decades, recounted his years of experience. Many of the stories shared that day were priceless antiquities of another era – echoing the age old need to put food on the table. Collectively, all of them gave Brady an even greater respect between hunter and prey. That day Brady and Corey stepped back in time, sharing a moment between father and son as old as mankind.

If Brady is not busy making deer jerky, you might talk him into fixing you a burger or even a steak. But one thing is for sure, when Brady’s cooking dinner, venison is always on the menu.

Below is one of Brady’s favorite meat rubs. He uses it most often on venison but it works equally well on beef.

Memphis Style Rub

: Brady Childs

Ingredients

¼ cup paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper

Instructions

Place all ingredients in an airtight container. Shake until mixed thoroughly. Store out of direct sunlight in a cool place.
When ready to use, generously sprinkle spices onto meat. Spices should completely coat surface of meat.
Let marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Cook meat as desired. Recommend grilling, pan searing, or broiling.

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Grilled Lamb & Vegetable Kebabs with Dipping Sauces

dipping sauces, grilling, lamb, meat, recipes, vegetables No Responses »

Aug 132012

I think I have mentioned it before, but I live in a house full of picky eaters. I guess I shouldn’t say that. My kids eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and ethnic dishes, having been exposed to so many new ingredients through the farmers markets. It would be more accurate to say that everyone in my house likes *different* things. Either way, creating a meal can be a bit tricky.

Kebabs (also known as kabobs) are a great way to give everyone in the house exactly what they want. Corey can have his without onions and the kids can customize their own kebabs just they way they like them! I like living on the wild side with a little of everything.

Grilled Lamb & Vegetable Kebabs with Dipping Sauce

12 wooden skewers (10-inch)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 pounds boneless lamb (leg or shoulder), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, halved then quartered, cut into 1-inch pieces (keep layers intact)
2 small zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds
2 small yellow squash, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper

Place wooden skewers in a shallow dish and cover with water; set aside.

In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer oil and garlic until garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; set aside to cool.

Thread 6 skewers, alternating lamb and onion. Thread remaining 6 skewers with zucchini, squash and pepper. Brush lamb and vegetable kabobs with garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Place skewers on a hot grill rack. Cover and cook, turning occasionally, until each side has grill marks and lamb is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes or until lamb reaches 160ºF for medium doneness.

Remove from grill. Serve with dipping sauces and whole wheat pita.

Honey Mustard Thyme Dipping Sauce

3 tablespoons coarse grain mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

In a small bowl, combine mustard, mayonnaise, honey, thyme, salt and pepper.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt and pepper

Recipe and image provided by the American Lamb Board.

Weeknight Baked Ziti

beef, cooking, freezing, meat, recipes No Responses »

Aug 092012

Whenever I make Old Fashioned Spaghetti Sauce, I always freeze a couple of pints. These make great back up dinner meals on hectic weeknights. Just thaw, reheat and serve over spaghetti noodles or use to make any number of other pasta dishes.

Weeknight Baked Ziti

: Janet Childs

Ingredients

1 pint frozen Old Fashioned Spaghetti Sauce
1 cup dried ziti or penne pasta
½ cup ricotta cheese
⅔ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Bring salted water to a boil. Meanwhile reheat spaghetti sauce over low heat
Cook pasta as directed on box. Remove from heat and drain. Return noodles to pan, add half of the spaghetti sauce and stir until thoroughly coated. Transfer sauce covered pasta immediately to baking dish.
In a small bowl, mix together ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. Using a spoon, place dollops of cheese mixture evenly over pasta. Cover with remaining spaghetti sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese.
Place baking dish under broiler until cheese has melted and begins to brown.
Serves two.

Notes

I often pop the frozen sauce out of its container and place directly into a small pan to reheat. Just be sure to keep the heat low, stirring often. By the time your noodles are ready, your sauce should be nice and hot.

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Old Fashioned Beef Spaghetti Sauce

beef, cooking, family, freezing, lamb, meat, recipes 4 Responses »

Aug 072012

I have wonderful childhood memories of spaghetti. Of all the dishes my mother fixed, this was one of my favorites. She would always leave the sauce to simmer the day away while Dad read the Sunday paper and watched football on TV. It didn’t take long before I began to associate the smell of spaghetti with family and lazy days at home. Even now when I make spaghetti for my own family, I have an odd craving for the sound of football playing in the background.

Like my Dad, Corey is a no nonsense eater. No onions. Hold the garlic. Nothing fancy. (Of course, unless we are talking desserts. Now that is a different story.) This is one of the many reasons I thoroughly enjoy cooking for the farmers markets. I can explore any ingredient including exotic spices and far away dishes without the face of a picky eater staring me down. So be assured this spaghetti sauce recipe is one that even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy.

Old Fashioned Beef Spaghetti Sauce

1 pound ground beef
2 -28 oz cans tomato sauce
1 – 6 oz can tomato paste
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste

Brown beef in 3-4 quart pan over medium heat. Drain fat. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir and allow to cook for an additional 30 seconds to season meat.

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and herbs. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for at least two hours. If sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat slightly.

Serve over angle hair spaghetti.

Note: Today’s pictures are actually one of the sauces we sell at the farmers market. I took the basic recipe for Old Fashioned Beef Spaghetti Sauce, tweaked it considerably and added onions, minced garlic and carrots to make our Lamb Bolognese Sauce.

Lamb Bolognese

Veal Stuffed Peppers

baking, freezing, meat, recipes, veal 2 Responses »

Jul 302012

Since we began selling Rose Veal at the farmers market, I have had several customers ask for recipes for ground veal. I posted a blog last week on Pasta with Veal, Capers, and White Wine and today I have another great recipe for Veal Stuffed Peppers.

I also have a recipe for Awesome Meatloaf that I will post in coming weeks. It uses a trio of ground meats include pork, beef, and veal.

Veal Stuffed Peppers

1/2-3/4 pound ground veal
1/3 cup long grain rice
2-4* large green peppers
Olive oil
1 rib celery, finely diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 – 1/2 zucchini, finely diced
1 tomato, finely diced with juices
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse rice under cold water. Put in small pan with 3/4 cup water and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Allow rice to sit for 15 minutes. Rice should be slightly soggy.

Slice the tops off of the peppers and remove seeds and stems. Dice tops, leaving the bottoms whole as they will serve as the bowls for the stuffing mix.

In a medium skillet brown veal and drain fat. Add celery, onion, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and tomato and cook until onions are translucent and vegetables start to soften. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium bowl, combine cooked rice, oregano, parsley, cooked veal and vegetables, cheese, and most of the breadcrumbs. Stir until evenly distributed.

Spoon stuffing mix into pepper bowls. Place in a loaf pan with one inch of water in the bottom. Sprinkle with additional panko bread crumbs.

Bake for 45 minutes.

When peppers are done remove from oven and top with additional cheese.

Note: As someone who tries to shop seasonally for vegetables from my local farmers market, I tend to improvise quite often in my recipes. I happened to have had beautiful dirt grown tomatoes and zucchinis when I wrote this recipe. Feel free to add, subtract, or swap based on your preferences. Other choices include various types of squash or eggplant. In the winter months I substitute stewed tomatoes.

*Because I add whatever vegetables I have on hand, my stuffing often outgrows my bowls. The above recipe is intended for two large peppers but I often end up with enough stuffing mix for four. If this is the case, simply stuff the extra two peppers and freeze them in a sealed baggy before cooking them. Later I pull them out, allow them to partially thaw, and then bake.

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