Circle M Farm

I was serious last post when I said I’d enjoy my lambs in the field or in the freezer. One of the things that makes raising meat animals so delightful is the community of food enthusiasts you come in contact with as a small-scale producer.

Here is a recipe passed to me by long-time friend Brad Farris, a Chicago small-business consultant, who my children appreciate as much for his cooking as for his loud laugh and goofy sense of humor. “You should open a restaurant with Brad!” they are forever saying. Brad, God love him, is too exuberantly messy in the kitchen for me to work with every day, but our families have shared holiday meals for years and he always has a terrific recipe for any vegetable or meat cut I throw his way. He found this recipe on elise.com, and the site manager’s father found it in Saveur magazine years ago. Food keeps us all connected!

Basque Lamb Stew

3 1/2 lbs. lamb shoulder, cut into 2 inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
3 canned roasted red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
4-6 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry, full-bodied red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock

1 Combine the lamb, 3 of the garlic cloves, rosemary, and white wine in a medium bowl. Let marinate for 2-3 hours. Drain the meat, discard the marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Mince the remaining 3 garlic cloves and set aside.

2 Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan with lid, over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meat on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Return all meat to the pot. Add onions, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook, scraping browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, add roasted peppers, tomatoes, parsley, bay leaf, and red wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until juices in pot reduce and thicken slightly, about 10-15 minutes.

3 Add chicken stock, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Adjust seasonings.

Optional: garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Serves 4 to 6.

Brad’s personal comment on the recipe is: “You will be tempted to put it over rice or noodles (because it’s mostly just meat) but I love it in a bowl with some good bread and a salad. I’m telling you it’s the BOMB.” I agree. Fabulous also with goat meat instead of lamb. Enjoy!