Dear Customer,
The older one gets, the shorter the summers seem, but this year appears to have broken all records in summer swiftness. It feels like 4th of July should still be around the corner, but here we are already writing our annual fall lamb letter.
Part of the reason for the fleeting summer has been the incredibly busy year on the farm. We've been expanding our pastures, renovating barns, and putting in new roads. It's still very much a work in progress, but incorporating this new land into our farm means more room for sheep and more lambs for you.
Working in our new herb garden this summer has allowed us to experiment with various fresh herbs, (including some interesting herb sorbets), but rosemary by far remains our favorite when paired with lamb. After a long day working in the hot sun, it's nice to be able to sit outside in the cool of the evening, enjoying rosemary lamb chops right off the grill with some corn on the cob and a cold bottle of beer.
Growing interest in hand-spinning the wool from Clun Forest sheep has led to a run on our fleeces this year. We're sold out of fleeces until next spring shearing, but we still have a few skeins of yarn left at $8.95 a skein (it retails in stores for $11.95).
We hope you were satisfied with last year's lamb order and are eager to order again. We've made a few adjustments which we hope will allow you to enjoy your lamb even more. We're now using a brand new facility to process our lamb which provides us with a carefully controlled aging environment. You no longer have to worry about planning ahead and defrosting your lamb in the refrigerator for several days. Your lamb now comes to you perfectly aged and ready to go from freezer to oven in the same day. Another improvement is the clear vacuum packaging which allows you to see the package contents before opening.
We've already received a number of advance orders this year and, given our limited supply, we want to make sure that our regular customers have a chance to order ahead of the rest of the crowd. If you'd like to place an order, simply download the attached order form and fill it out and mail it to us, or to save yourself some time and a postage stamp, simply go to our website at www.touchstonefarm.org and place your order using our on-line form. We'll coordinate a delivery time that is convenient for you. All lamb orders are C.O. D.. Our prices remain as they were last year, $6 a pound for a ½ lamb (approximately 25 lbs of meat) or $5 a pound for a whole lamb (approximate 50 lbs of meat).
While on the subject of preparing lamb... a number of you let us know how much you enjoyed the lamb shanks recipe we offered last year and asked about ways to "dress up" the other less popular cut, the shoulder. Like the shanks, a lot of people are at a loss as to what to do with the shoulder because it seems bonier and "fattier" than other parts. Yet it is undeniably more flavorful than other cuts, and, as shown in the attached recipe for stew, perfect for a big casual meal. The secret to getting the most out of the shoulder is to find a recipe that allows it to be cooked for a long time, thus releasing all the flavor. We've attached one of our favorite such recipes below, together with an unusual but great herb sorbet. Serve this Basque stew with a hearty red wine (we like to use a good Cabernet Sauvignon with this), some rough country bread, salad, and sorbet for dessert. A perfect accompaniment to the stars and crickets on a late summer's eve...
Enjoy your lamb!
Yours,
Alan Zuschlag
Basque Lamb Stew
1 lamb shoulder (3 1/2 lbs) cut into 2" cubes (check "kebob style" on our order form)
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
4 twigs of fresh rosemary, stripped
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tsp. sweet paprika
3 roasted bell peppers, cut into 1/2" strips (canned are easiest)
1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
5 sprigs of parsley
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup of what ever red wine you're serving for dinner
1/2 cup chicken stock
Combine lamb, 3 of the crushed garlic cloves, rosemary, and white wine in a medium bowl, mix well and cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to marinade for at least 2-3 hours (can be left overnight). Drain meat and discard marinade.
Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (use one with a tight fitting lid). Working in batches so as not to crowd the pot, add the lamb, and brown on all sides (about 10 minutes per batch). Let juices accumulate in the pot. Once all the meat is done, return it all to the pot. Add onions, crushed garlic, and salt and pepper to taste and cook until onions are soft (about five minutes). Scrape the pot bottom with a wooden spoon while doing this to avoid sticking. Stir in paprika, and add roasted bell peppers, tomatoes, parsley, bay leaf and red wine. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer until the mixture thickens (about 10 - 15 minutes).
Pour in the chicken stock, cover and put under low heat, stirring occasionally until the meat is very tender (about 2 - 2½ hours). Adjust seasonings according to taste.
Basil & Mint Sorbet
If you're lucky enough to have an ice cream/sorbet maker, this easy recipe is a great way to cleanse the palate after a good lamb stew.
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup basil leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup sugar
Make a sugar syrup of 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Simmer slowly and stir constantly until a syrup forms. Remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
Puree the mint and basil leaves in 1 cup of water. Once pureed, add an additional cup of water and lemon juice. Chill for one hour.
Combine the syrup and puree in an ice cream maker and mix according to manufacturers instructions.