On Monday we took a ride out to Canby, Oregon because I needed to pick up a half lamb carcass from Dan Wilson, the owner and operator of "Sudan Farms". Why am I getting a lamb carcass? I am teaching class on Butchery. Yes, I spent my birthday sharing my passion for food with a group of open minded and excited students. During class, I taught them how to butcher a chicken, truss a chicken, and bone one completely. I also had a guest Chef instructor, Rawburt M., who is very experienced with fish. He showed his way of cleaning a whole Pacific salmon, and also his method for shucking oysters. We followed that up with my live demo of how to butcher a whole lamb.
I am going to interject my personal opinion here as to why using local farms are so important to me. I really love to get out and visit different farms. I have an uncanny desire to learn where my food comes from. Again, it is so important to me that I know the products I am going to use were raised by men and woman who care and who are passionate about what they do, by people who care about their animals, vegetables, trees, and families the way I care about the final product and the way it will make you feel. Yes, it may be more expensive to buy locally but you know where it comes from!!! You can talk to the people who raise your food and see the truth in their eyes, Have you ever had a produce guy at a supermarket tell you how the tomatoes were grown? Ask him next time you’re there. I bet he has no clue. This isn't his fault. Do you see my point? We are slowly losing a connection with our food. With today’s farmer’s markets and health food stores, it is really convenient to meet these wonderful folks. Introduce yourself and ask questions. Why do I travel 50 minutes outside of the city for lamb? Because I know that when I use an animal with all the respect I can, t it will transfer into my final dish ultimately giving you the best experience I can and YOU are who I aim to please. So when possible, try to eat local. It’s well worth the extra money.
So, what am I going to do with 22 pounds of lamb? I am going to prepare a lamb stew inspired by Spanish spices.
This is the recipe:
3 pounds Lamb shoulder cubed 1"
4 ounces Carrots peeled and diced 1/2"
4 ounces Celery rinsed and diced 1/2"
8 ounces Yellow onions diced 1/2"
6 each garlic cloves ends removed and crushed
1T Caraway seed
1T Cumin seed
1t cayenne pepper
1 each cinnamon stick
2 each bay leafs
1T sea salt
7 sprigs of fresh Thyme
14 ounce can of diced tomatoes, unseasoned
28 ounces of beef stock, unless you have lamb stock
Once you have all of your ingredients, place them into the crock pot starting with the lamb first, then the vegetables, then the liquids and spices. Make sure you do not over flow the crock pot. I filled my near the top and placed the pot over a sheet pan so that any condensation from the pot drips into there and not onto my counter tops. Now turn your pot to the “high” setting and let it cook for 3 hours. Then I stir it at this point. Turn the dial to “low” and allow the stew to cook for another 5 hours or until very aromatic and lamb is tender. And that’s it. Really easy, I know, but absolutely delicious. I eat this stew as it is out of a bowl or serve it over saffron rice, basmati rice, or even over lentils. It’s very hearty and soulful.
Enjoy and happy cooking!
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