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Roast Lamb

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Adapted from the recipe by Julia Moskin

Yield: 8-12 servings

Time: About 3 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 large lamb roast* with a cap of fat, 4 to 6 pounds: bone-in leg, semiboneless leg*, bone-in shoulder*, boneless butterflied leg* or double loin*
  • 2 ounces anchovies packed in olive oil, drained
  •  Leaves from 6 fresh rosemary sprigs*, plus extra sprigs and branches for garnish
  • 6 garlic cloves*, smashed and peeled
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  •  Black pepper
  • 1 lemon, cut in half
  • 1 ¾ cups white wine, plus extra for gravy

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Use a small sharp knife to make about a dozen incisions, about 2” deep, through the fat on top of the meat. Using a mortar and pestle or a blender, blend 2/3 of the anchovies, the rosemary leaves, and the garlic cloves into a chunky paste. Using your fingers, press paste deeply into incisions.
  2. Mix remaining anchovies and the butter into a paste. Smear this mixture all over the surface of the roast. Season liberally with black pepper (salt is not needed). Place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up, and squeeze the lemon halves over. Pour the wine around the roast into the pan.
  3. Roast 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast until internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees (for medium-rare or medium meat), about another 60 to 90 minutes. Baste every 20 minutes or so with the wine and drippings in the pan, adding more wine as needed to keep the liquid from scorching. If possible, for the last 15 minutes of cooking, use convection or a broiler to crisp the fat on the roast.
  4. Remove pan from the oven, remove rack from the pan, and let the roast rest on the rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes in a warm place, tented with foil. The internal temperature will rise to about 140 to 145 degrees.
  5. To make sauce from the pan drippings, remove a few tablespoons of fat by tipping the pan and spooning off the top layer. Put the pan over medium heat until the liquid simmers. Taste the simmering liquid and whisk in more wine, 1/4 cup at a time, until the consistency and flavor are right. Do not let the mixture become syrupy; it should be a sharp jus, not a thick gravy.
  6. Carve lamb into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange on a heated platter, decorated with rosemary sprigs. Serve with piping hot gravy.

*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

Whatever Soup

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Recipe by Samin Nosrat, NYT, and shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

  • 4 Tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 medium onions*, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves*, sliced
  • 6 to 8 cups diced vegetables*(carrots, celeriac, chard, mushrooms, cabbage, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, winter squash)
  • 1½ pounds raw boneless chicken
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Set a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat and add 4 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add onions and garlic.
  2. Reduce the heat to a medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 15 minutes.
  3. Place the chicken and vegetables in the pot. Add enough chicken stock to cover. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  4. Cook until the flavors have come together and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more. Remove raw chicken from soup when cooked, allow it to cool enough to handle. Shred and return it to the soup.
  5. Add more hot liquid if needed.
  6. Serve hot.

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Shepherd’s Pie with Lamb

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Recipe by Wolfgang Puck

Makes: 8 servings

Prep & cook time: 1 hr 35 mins

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lb. ground lamb*
  • 3 carrots*, cut into 1⁄4-inch rounds
  • 2 leeks*, cut into 1⁄4-inch rounds
  • 1/2 lb. red Swiss chard*, thick ribs removed, leaves cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 c. frozen peas
  • 1 1/2 c. beef gravy
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 1/2 lb. russet potatoes*, peeled and cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds
  • 5 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/4 c. milk*, plus more if needed
  • 2 tbsp. freshly grated horseradish
  • 2 slices country white bread*, crusts removed, bread cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 oz. Parmesan, grated (1/2 cup)

 Instructions

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add lamb and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer lamb to a bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, add remaining oil, carrots, and leeks and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in Swiss chard and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in peas, gravy, and reserved lamb. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large pot over high heat, bring potatoes and enough salted water to cover to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Add 3 tablespoons butter and mash potatoes. Stir in milk and season with salt. If potatoes are too stiff, add up to 2 tablespoons more milk. Stir in horseradish.
  3. Transfer lamb mixture to an 11-inch deep-dish pie plate or eight 4-inch ramekins. Spread mashed potatoes over lamb mixture.
  4. In a food processor, pulse bread to crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs and Parmesan on potatoes. Dot with remaining butter. Bake until tops are lightly browned, about 45 minutes.

Notes: If you like garlic, boil 2-3 cloves along with the potatoes.

Shepherd’s Pie with Lamb

By

Recipe by Wolfgang Puck

Makes: 8 servings

Prep & cook time: 1 hr 35 mins

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lb. ground lamb*
  • 3 carrots*, cut into 1⁄4-inch rounds
  • 2 leeks*, cut into 1⁄4-inch rounds
  • 1/2 lb. red Swiss chard*, thick ribs removed, leaves cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 c. frozen peas
  • 1 1/2 c. beef gravy
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 1/2 lb. russet potatoes*, peeled and cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds
  • 5 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/4 c. milk*, plus more if needed
  • 2 tbsp. freshly grated horseradish
  • 2 slices country white bread*, crusts removed, bread cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 oz. Parmesan, grated (1/2 cup)

 Instructions

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add lamb and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer lamb to a bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, add remaining oil, carrots, and leeks and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in Swiss chard and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in peas, gravy, and reserved lamb. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large pot over high heat, bring potatoes and enough salted water to cover to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Add 3 tablespoons butter and mash potatoes. Stir in milk and season with salt. If potatoes are too stiff, add up to 2 tablespoons more milk. Stir in horseradish.
  3. Transfer lamb mixture to an 11-inch deep-dish pie plate or eight 4-inch ramekins. Spread mashed potatoes over lamb mixture.
  4. In a food processor, pulse bread to crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs and Parmesan on potatoes. Dot with remaining butter. Bake until tops are lightly browned, about 45 minutes.

Notes: If you like garlic, boil 2-3 cloves along with the potatoes.

Roast Heritage Chicken with Carrots

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Recipe courtesy of Squash Villa Farm

“Heritage breed chickens have well-developed flavor. Cooking them slower and at a lower temperature allows the legs and thighs to cook fully without overcooking the breasts.”

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • Whole heritage chicken* (Delaware, Ameraucana, or another breed)
  • 2 Tbls melted butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large yellow onion*, thickly sliced
  • 4 carrots* cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 bulb of garlic*, split into cloves
  • Olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  
  2. Remove chicken from refrigerator and allow to warm to ambient temperature. 
  3. Remove any leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Brush the outside of the chicken with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the breasts loosely with aluminum foil to prevent the meat from overcooking. Place the onions, carrots, and whole garlic cloves in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
  4. Roast the chicken covered, breast up for 30 minutes per pound. The juices will run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest. If the carrots aren’t tender, continue roasting until tender. 

Simple Solutions to the Dinner Dilemma

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By Julia Howard

While there are usually easy meal solutions for breakfast and lunch, simple, healthy dinner ideas are no easy feat. Finding a recipe that your family will enjoy is only a part of the struggle. We crave a quick fix for dinner, something that doesn’t take hours to prep and cook, and something that won’t take an hour to clean up. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has meal motivation and locally sourced ingredients to get you through these dinner difficulties.

Photo from iStock.

Sheet Pan Dinners

For an effortless, delicious meal with minimal cleanup, sheet pan dinners are one of our favorite approaches to dinner. Choose your favorite seasonal vegetable(s) and pair it with a protein like chicken, pork, or beef. Think steak with Brussels sprouts and potatoes, sausages with apples and carrots, chicken with mushrooms and tomatoes (tomatoes will return to the market in Feb.). The internet has many ideas, and finding the right ingredients is super simple between your pantry and the farmers’ market.

Photo from iStock

Farmers’ Market Frittatas

Frittatas can be very easy to make and are a great way to clean out your refrigerator. Ingredients include eggs, vegetables, fresh herbs (optional, and returning to the market in Feb.), cheese, and bacon or sausage – or omit for a vegetarian option. Simply sautee the vegetables, add cooked bacon and herbs, pour whisked eggs over the mixture, top with cheese, and broil for 3-4 minutes. We love M&A Farm’s recipe and remember that you can put just about anything in your frittata.

Photo of carrot and ginger soup by Pattie Garrett.

Simple Soups

Soups are one of the most satisfying, healthy, and easy one-pot meals to make. Simply chop up your vegetables, sautee the aromatics (leeks, onions, carrots, garlic, but the list goes on), add chicken or vegetable stock and simmer, then puree or leave chunky depending on the soup and your preference. Some ideas are vegetable soup, potato and leek soup, mushroom soup, and butternut squash soup.

Photo from iStock.

Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Meals

Slow cookers and Instant Pots have turned complicated, time-consuming meals into one-pot wonders. A quick Google search can reveal recipes for anything from tacos to pot roast to soups and stews. Once your ingredients are in the pot, you typically don’t need to pay attention to them until the meal is cooked and ready to serve. 

This weeks recipe: Farmers’ Market Frittata