[Jacob-list] Another recipe... a collection, really

[Shawn Hoefer]

I oopsed and sent this direct to the questioner, but once I realized my error I grabbed it and
wanted to send it to the goup...
---
--- Karen Sigler <karen at benjaminfarms.com> wrote:
>     We are having a dinner thurs. night at work.  I have a pkg of lamb 
> stew meat... any really good ideas??  It needs to be impressive, because 
> everyone at work is starting to turn up their noses when they hear it is 
> lamb. Chili, stew, ??
> Thanks Karen
> Benjamin Farms,  Utah
> I'd live to help, but unfortunately all of my recipes are measured in dashes 
and pinches and
season-to-tastes.

Still, I find a savory lamb stew always goes over well.

In a skillet braize, then simmer the lamb with olive oil, rosemary and garlic 
and maybe some
thyme. 

While that's simmering overboil a potato or two - these will be mased and added 
to the stew later
in place of a roux for thickening.

Dice more potatoes - of course how many you dice depends on how much meat you 
have and how far you
want to stretch it. i always wash thoroughly, but never peel the potatoes.

Toss in some carrots - I prefer whole baby carrots rather than diced adult 
carrots.

Onios.

More garlic. I don't think there can ever be enough garlic.

Maybe some celery?

Now, in the stew pot with the vegetables toss in some bay leaves, salt, pepper, 
maybe a little
sage and simmer until vegetables are just beginning to get tender. Then ad the 
overboiled, mashed
taters and stir until the stew is the desired consistency. Add the lamb and 
continue to simmer
until the vegetables are the desired degree of doneness - I prefer my 
veggetables to still have a
bit of bit - if it were pasta, we would be talking al dente here.

I rarely use tomaotes in stews such as this one, but a tomatoe stewed in early 
enough wont harm
anything.
---
How about lamb green chile?

In a large pot braize then simmer your lamb with garlic and onions until the 
onions are just
beginning to go translucent. Add in green chile (I use about a pound of the 
forzen peeled mild
stuff) and one sliced jalapeno, one large can of stewed tomatoes and then one 
can of water and
salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a bit, then add in one quart of thickener. 
To make the
thickener, put about a half cup of flour in a quart mason jar and top it off 
with water, then seal
the jar and shake like there's not tomorrow. Pour this in and let the chile 
simmer 'til you need
it.

Great over burritoes...

In all honesty I must admit I haven't made the lamb green chile. I have made 
the green chile with
pork, cabrito, chicken and turkey and it's consistently good so I can't imagine 
this would be
bad...
---
The following directions are for ground lamb, not stew meat, but I have to 
share.

Shepherd's Pie

Boil potatoes - lots - to make mashed. Yes, you can substitute flakes. Everyone 
know how to make
mashed from scratch, right? Good - wont go into that then.

Brown ground lamb in large skillet with onions, garlic, diced tomoatoes use the 
juice from the
tomatoes, too), salt to taste and pepper to taste, some sage amybe, some thyme 
maybe, some summer
savory maybe...

Pour this browned mixture into a 13x9 pan (or two) and cover with the mashed 
potatoes. You can
sprinkle the top of the potatoes with some shredded or crimbled cheeses if you 
would like to. We
often use our own goat cheese or if we are out of that maybe some cheddar/jack. 
Bake in preheated
oven at 350 for about 45 minutes until the potatoes and cheese on top are 
starting to go golden.

Hope these help...

Let us know how it turns out.

Shawn

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