Food of the Month: Lamb
When it comes to nature’s best source of zinc and iron?nothing beats red meat. And when it comes to red meat, nothing beats lamb for both flavor and nutritional value. Lamb is rich in easily absorbed minerals and B vitamins?particularly B6 and B12. Lamb is nature’s best source of carnitine, an amino acid that the body uses to transfer fatty acids across the membranes of the mitochondria, where they can be used as a source of fuel to generate energy. It is an especially important nutrient for the heart. Lamb fat is stable and nutritious. It is a good source of palmitoleic acid, a 16-carbon monounsaturated fatty acid that has strong antimicrobial properties.
Look for lamb labeled organic or that comes from New Zealand (where it grazes on rich green pasturage) or Iceland (where the animals eat mineral-rich mosses and lichens.) Tender cuts should be eaten raw, rare or medium rare. Tougher cuts can be braised in broth to make stews. Always eat lamb as a whole food?that is, with the fat that accompanies it.
Lamb Broth
About 2 pounds lamb riblets
2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
1 onion, chopped coarsely
several sprigs fresh thyme, tied together
1 teaspoon dried green peppercorns
Place lamb riblets in a stainless steel baking pan and bake at 350 degrees until they are nicely browned. Transfer to a pot and cover with filtered water. Add some water to the baking pan and bring to a boil, stirring to deglaze the drippings. Add this to the pot and bring to a rolling boil. Skim any scum that rises to the surface. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 4 to 8 hours. Strain broth through a strainer and allow to cool. Use in soups, sauces and stews.
Lamb Tartare
1 pound ground lamb with fat, frozen for 14 days and thawed
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons small capers, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels
salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.
Mix all ingredients. Serve with whole grain sour dough bread and butter.
Lamb Chops
4 lamb chops
2 cups lamb broth
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon gelatin (optional)
In a heavy cast iron skillet, cook lamb chops over medium high flame about 5 minutes on a side, until they are rare or medium rare. Transfer to a heated platter in a warm oven while making sauce. Pour wine into pan and bring to a boil, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all the drippings. Add broth, vinegar and optional gelatin. Boil vigorously until sauce reduces and thickens?it should be the consistency of maple syrup. Place two lamb chops on each place, along with some lightly steamed vegetables and pour sauce over.
Breakfast Riblets
About 1 pound lamb riblets
1/4 cup naturally fermented soy sauce
1 tablespoon raw honey
juice of one lemon
Mix soy sauce, honey and lemon together with a whisk. Brush over riblets and marinate overnight, covered at room temperature. In the morning, place in a stainless steel baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 30 minutes. Eat like bacon?with your fingers!
Lamb Stew
2 pounds lamb stew meat, with fat
1 cup red wine
3-4 cups lamb broth
Butter and olive oil
1 small can tomato paste
several sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme, tied together
2 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
2-3 whole cloves
1 teaspoon dried green peppercorns, crushed
2-3 small pieces fresh orange peel
1 pound small red potatoes
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into strips
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Marinate lamb in wine for several hours or overnight. Remove from wine and dry pieces very well with paper towels. In a heavy flame proof casserole, brown stew meat on all sides, a few pieces at a time, in butter and olive oil, removing to a plate for subsequent batches. When all meat is browned, pour out browning fat and add wine used for marinade and broth to the casserole. Bring to a rolling boil and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Reduce heat and add browned meat, tomato paste, herbs, garlic, cloves, peppercorns and orange peel to the casserole. Place in a 300 degree oven and cook for several hours. One hour before serving add potatoes; 1/2 hour before serving add carrots. Just before serving, transfer to the stove and over a medium flame, stir in the arrowroot mixture to thicken the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.