Border Springs FARM Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS

                   2 pound of Border Springs Farm ground lamb

                   4 eggs

                   ¾ cup BBQ sauce

                   1 cup Cabot Vermont white cheddar cheese

                   1.5 cups bread crumbs

                   ½ cup chopped onions

                   ¼ cup chopped red pepper

                   ¼ cup chopped yellow pepper

                   ¼ cup chopped green pepper

                   Salt and pepper

PREPARATION

Mix all together thoroughly. Shape in loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees until center of roast is 145 degrees.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Parsley-Mint Gremolata

(Megan Foster and Shana Criner, Blue Ridge Slow Food Convivium, Blacksburg, VA)

      Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 shank, about 1/2 cup sauce, and 2 tablespoons gremolata)

      Ingredients

• Lamb:
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh thyme
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  teaspoon  minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 4  (12-ounce) lamb shanks
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 2  cups  chopped onion (about 1 large)
• 1  cup  chopped carrot (about 2 large)
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  cups  dry red wine
• 3/4  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4  cup  fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
• 
  Gremolata:
• 1/4  cup  finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh mint
• 1  tablespoon  grated lemon rind
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic

Preparation

1. To prepare lamb, combine the first 4 ingredients; set aside 1 teaspoon herb mixture. Rub lamb evenly with remaining herb mixture. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add lamb to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove lamb from pan; keep warm. Add onion, carrot, and garlic to pan; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally. Add wine and reserved 1 teaspoon herb mixture; bring to a boil. Cook until mixture is reduced to 2 cups (about 6 minutes). Add broths; bring to a boil. Cook until mixture is reduced to 1 3/4 cups (about 5 minutes). Return lamb to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 1/2 hours or until lamb is tender, turning shanks occasionally.

2. To prepare gremolata, combine parsley and remaining ingredients.

3. Remove lamb and vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; keep warm. Place a large zip-top plastic bag inside an 8-cup glass measure or bowl. Pour broth mixture into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag, and carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into pan, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Bring broth mixture to a boil; cook until reduced to 2 cups and thickened (about 12 minutes). Spoon sauce over lamb and vegetables; top with gremolata.

BORDER SPRINGS FARM LAMB BURGERS

2 lb                  Border Springs Farm Ground Lamb

1                      Onion, finely chopped

½ cup              Fresh Mint, chopped

1 Tbsp             Lemon juice

2                      Large eggs, fresh from the chicken coop are best

½ tsp               Crushed red chilies

1 tsp                Cinnamon

¼ tsp               Nutmeg

1 tsp                Ground Cumin

1 tsp                Ground Coriander Seed

1 tsp                Sea Salt

1 tsp                Freshly ground pepper

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl.  Then form 6 burgers and grill slowly, taking approximately 20 minutes to cook while still leaving the middle medium rare or to taste.

A fine burger requires only one condiment, homemade mayonnaise, besides the best bread or bun you can find.

Homemade Mayonnaise with a Twist

1 tsp                Red Wine Vinegar

1 tsp                Lemon Juice

Pinch               Sea Salt

¼ tsp               Freshly Ground Pepper

¼ tsp               Dijon Mustard

1                      Large Egg fresh from the hen

1 cup               Olive Oil

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, mustard and egg together well.  Use a blender or egg beaters.  Then very slowly add the olive oil while mixing vigorously or while pureeing in the blender.  The final product should be whip cream smooth and firm.

To add a twist try folding in your favorite herbs and cheese once the mayonnaise is complete.  As an example:

2 tsp                Dill, finely chopped

1/3 cup                        Feta cheese, crumbled

The dill adds some pizzazz and the feta a nice texture.  For another twist:

2 tsp                Mint, finely chopped

2 tsp                Rosemary, finely chopped

Let the mayonnaise rest in the refrigerator for an hour before serving to allow the flavors to set.

There is nothing wrong with adding a slice of garden fresh tomato and onion to burger, but try leaving the catsup and mustard in the refrigerator to enjoy a true farm fresh burger.

         LAMB SAUSAGE BALLS

(Jonathan Adcock, DVM, Patrick Springs, VA)

INGREDIENTS

                   1 pound of Border Springs Farm lamb sausage

                   1 cup Cabot Vermont white cheddar cheese shredded

                   1 cup Bisquick

                   Crushed red chili pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Mix all together thoroughly. Shape into small balls and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Roasted Curried Leg of Lamb

(Janet Burton, Hamilton, Ontario)

Ingredients:
7 to 5 lbs leg of lamb (bone-in)

Dry ingredients:
1 large onion (chopped)
6 cloves garlic
2 inch piece ginger (chopped)
1 serrano pepper
1 cup cilantro (30 g)
2 limes (juice and zest)

Wet Ingredients:
¼ cup coconut milk
¼ cup olive oil

Spice Mix:
2 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. salt

Directions:
1. Add all the dry ingredients and the spice mix into a blender or food processor. Slowly add both the wet ingredients until a paste is formed. You may need to modify the amount of liquid suggested.
2. Coat the leg of lamb in the paste.
3. Preheat oven to 325.
4. Roast for approximately 90 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 135-140F at the thickest point. This is medium and you can safely eat it at cooler temperature, but this is our suggested temperature.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 min.
6. Slice and serve.