A couple of nights ago, I went to one of the American Lamb Council’s Shepherd to Chef dinners at City Winery. Let me just say, I’m now on a lamb kick that won’t quit. I brought home some shanks and braised them in the slowcooker in chicken stock, a little rum, garlic, rosemary, Tellicherry pepper and a splash of curry powder. They were falling-off-the-bone delicious.
But I learned stuff too! It seems like a lot of American lamb is raised in small flocks, free-range style, grass-fed and stuff. So that’s good! Also, Americans eat less than a pound of lamb per year (per person, on average). I watched a butchery demonstration and learned that lambs are only about 5 percent trim and also that meat glue is a thing that exists, and you can use it to glue lamb trim together and make lamb bacon. Lamb lamb lamb.
The highlight of the night, for me was Matthew Accarino’s (of SPQR in San Francisco) lamb meatballs with creamy polenta. I think it’s one of those dishes (like Real Simple‘s gnocchi with sausage and broccoli rabe) that I will never get tired of and make variations of for the rest of my life.
Anyway, lamb chops are usually really cheap at my local Key Food, so expect a lot more lamb posts. Between this and my knitting, it’s becoming clear that I should just quit my job and become a sheep farmer.
Layla Schlack 