Saratoga Farmers' Market

lamb

Instant Pot Bolognese

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Recipe by Healthy Gourmet Kitchen
Makes: 8 servings
Total time: 30 min

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 1 lb. ground meat of choice (beef*, lamb*, pork*, turkey, or plant-based)
● 1 package Healthy Gourmet Kitchen Bolognese meal starter kit*
● 1 onion diced*
● 2 lb. tomatoes* OR 1, 28 oz. can whole or diced plum tomatoes
● 1 cup white wine
● 1 cup milk*
● 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter*
● 12 ounces penne pasta

Directions
1. Turn Instant Pot to saute medium. Add butter and allow it to melt slightly. Add chopped onion and saute for 3-5 minutes. Add ground meat and break it up so that it crumbles. Continue to saute until the meat is brown.
2. After meat is browned, add white wine and the Healthy Gourmet Kitchen Bolognese meal starter pack on top of the meat.
3. Add milk and tomatoes. If you are using fresh, whole tomatoes, squish them or chop them up. Add pasta and push so that it is submerged under the liquid.
4. Secure the lid on the Instant pot and close the vent. Press manual for 4 minutes.
5. When the cooking time is complete, allow 5 minutes to pass for natural release, then move the vent to remove the rest of the steam. Remove the lid, top with grated cheese, and enjoy!

Enjoying local meat during pandemic

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Longlesson Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Demand for local meat has increased at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market since the Coronavirus pandemic erupted. Farmers often sell all of what they bring to market each week.

Meat shortages appear likely nationally and regionally. However, local farmers who sell their meat primarily via direct sales to customers at farmers’ markets expect a steady supply through the winter. They are able to weather crises such as the pandemic for several reasons:

Planning. “It takes three years for me to raise an animal from its beginning to the time it’s ready for processing,” says Christophe Robert of Longlesson Farm, which offers pork, beef, and chicken.

Robert has his cows and pigs butchered at a local processor. He booked all of his processing appointments for 2020 last December.

Robert also cannot change his quantities. “I raise as many animals as I can on the land I have.”

Ramble Creek Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Processing for others. Ramble Creek Farm also offers pork, beef, and poultry. Owner Josh Carnes processes the chickens and turkeys he raises on-site. He also processes chicken for others.

“I’ve been getting more calls from people who are raising their own chickens,” he said. “Backyard farmers who want to try raising their own meat.”

Promoting health. For many, the pandemic has reinforced the value of buying meat directly from a farmer. “It’s basically my farm to you, with my processor in between for some items,” says Carnes. “Plus, you’re coming to an open-air environment when you visit the farmers’ market. That means more space, less jostling.”

Squashville Farm, photo provided

Being adept at change. At Squashville Farm, my husband called our processor to book appointments for our goats, only to learn the first available opening was in February. We decided to raise more chickens and ducks for the fall and winter and to pasture our goats a little longer.

Accepting what is. Elihu Farm’s processor of lambs also is booked through mid-winter. Owner Mary Pratt says she will continue her practice of raising her lambs on pasture and offering them some grains, which produces tender, flavorful meat. A customer endorsed the quality of her meat with this note: “I was raised in New Zealand, and you have the best lamb. It makes me homesick.”

 

This week’s recipe: Burger with Onions & Mushrooms

Lamb Stew

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Recipe by Natasha’s Kitchen
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Serves 8 people

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 4 oz bacon*, chopped into 1/4″ strips
● 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb* or lamb shoulder* trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
● 1/2 Tbsp sea salt for the lamb plus 1 tsp for stew
● 1 tsp black pepper for lamb plus 1/2 tsp for stew
● 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
● 1 large yellow onion*, diced
● 4 garlic cloves*, minced
● 1 1/2 cups red wine*
● 1 lb mushrooms*, thickly sliced
● 4 cups low sodium beef broth or stock
● 1 Tbsp tomato paste
● 2 bay leaves
● 1/2 tsp dried thyme
● 1 1/2 lbs small potatoes* halved or quartered into 1″ pieces
● 4 medium carrots*, peeled and cut into 1/2″ thick pieces
● 1/4 cup parsley*, finely chopped for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a 5Qt dutch oven, saute chopped bacon over medium heat until browned and fat released. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a large plate.
  2. While bacon cooks, season lamb pieces with 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour and toss to coat. Cook lamb in 2 batches in hot bacon grease over medium heat until browned (3-4 min per side) then transfer to the plate with bacon.
  3. Add diced onion and sauté 2 min. Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups wine, scraping the bottom to deglaze. Add sliced mushrooms, bring to simmer then cook uncovered 10 min. Preheat Oven to 325˚F.
  4. Return bacon and lamb to pot and add 4 cups broth, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 2 bay leaves. Stir in potatoes and carrots, making sure potatoes are mostly submerged in liquid. Bring to a boil then COVER and carefully transfer to preheated oven at 325˚F for 1 hr and 45 min. When done, potatoes and lamb will be very tender.

Cooking Advice for Farm-to-Table Meats

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By Julia Howard

I consider myself to be a decent cook but I will confess that I have always felt insecure preparing dishes with meat. So whenever I want to prepare lamb, beef, goat, or pork I look to the experts; the farmers who raised the animals and know the cuts and flavors best.

Steak from Longlesson Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

An upcoming dinner with friends prompted me to visit the farmers’ market for the right meat and cooking instructions for my visionary main course. First, I visit Christophe Robert of Longlesson Farm. “Keep it simple and cook the meat (steak) at a low temperature and finish with a sear,” Robert advises.

Caroline from Lewis Waite Farm gave similar advice. She explains that pasture-raised, 100% grass-fed meats cook differently. “They have less fat so you need to adjust how you approach cooking it with lower temperatures and less time,” she explains. Caroline recommends flat iron steaks, which are from a tender part of the shoulder. “Just a few minutes on each side on a low-heat pan works great,” says Caroline. The meat may be sliced up for fajitas and soups, or served as a steak.

Mary Pratt of Elihu Farm has a variety of cuts of lamb that may be bought fresh year-round at the farmers’ market. Pratt recommends a lamb shoulder roast or shoulder chops, bone-in neck, and shanks which make excellent stew. “You can use lamb stew cuts in recipes from many cultures,” explains Pratt. One of her favorite recipes is for lamb osso bucco, which can be found in the cookbook From the Earth to the Table. In addition, Pratt recommends lamb recipes from Paula Wolfert’s cookbooks and USA Grilling.

Goat is another meat option available at the farmers’ market. Jim Gupta-Carlson of Squashville Farm recommends goat rib chops and loin chops. “They are flavorful and quite simple to prepare,” says Gupta-Carlson. Simply season with salt and pepper and sear the chops on both sides on either a grill or skillet. Then let them cook at a lower temperature until they are medium-rare. Gupta-Carlson recommends letting the chops rest for a few minutes before serving.

The farmers’ market will move indoors to the Wilton Mall on Saturday, November 2 from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. There, customers may peruse offerings of goat, lamb, beef, and pork, and gather cooking advice from Elihu Farm, Lewis Waite Farm, Longlesson Farm, Mariaville Mushroom Men, Moxie Ridge Farm, Ramble Creek Farm, Slate River Farms, and Squashville Farm.

Roast Lamb

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Adapted from the recipe by Julia Moskin
Yield: 8-12 servings
Time: About 3 hours

INGREDIENTS
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market
● 1 large lamb roast* with a cap of fat, 4 to 6 pounds: bone-in leg (these can be as large as 8 pounds), semiboneless leg*, bone-in shoulder*, boneless butterflied leg* or double loin*
● 2 ounces (1 can) anchovies packed in olive oil, drained
● Leaves from 6 fresh rosemary sprigs* (2 heaping tablespoons leaves), 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

PREPARATION
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Use a small sharp knife to make about a dozen incisions, each about 2 inches deep, through the fat that covers the 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. (Do not add salt; the anchovies are salty enough) 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.

Winter Time Is Stew Time

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By Mary Pratt

In the cold of winter, it’s time for the comfort of warm savory stews. The Saratoga Farmer’s Market has the needed ingredients and ideas from different cultures to spice your stews up. 

Arnold Grant, of M & A Farm, is celebrating his 20th year at the market. Although most known for his family’s delicious breakfast sandwiches, he also raises and sells pork. Stewing pork is versatile; it can be used for Indian curry or French stew. Longlesson, Lewis Waite, Moxie Ridge, and Mariaville also raise pork. Pork butt (a shoulder cut) makes an excellent stew, as does fresh pork leg.

Christophe Robert, of Longlesson Farm, grows weaned piglets on pasture from spring until the snow falls. He also raises grass-fed beef until they are three to four years old to insure flavorful and marbled meat. Since Christophe is from France, he recommends making boeuf bourguignon, a stew with red wine and vegetables including onions and mushrooms, or a Flemish stew, boeuf carbonnade, with dark beer. He offers cubed beef for stew, but suggests that chuck will make stew that is more moist and flavorful.

Lewis-Waite Farm also raises grass-fed beef. Janet Lampman, who works for owners Nancy and Alan Brown, said it’s important to stew or oven-braise grass fed beef very slowly. She likes shanks or round roast. 

Ann Carnes, of Ramble Creek Farm, offers a variety of chicken. She finds the best cuts for cooking a chicken stew are thighs or drumsticks. Squashville Farm’s Himanee and Jim Gupta-Carlson offer fresh heritage-breed roasting chickens, from which they use leftover meat for soups and stews. In the last ten minutes of cooking, the chicken is added to warm through. Most recently Himanee made a Peruvian stew called Cazuela (casserole). 

Bob and Mary Pratt, of Elihu Farm, have raised lambs for over 30 years. After weaning, lambs graze for three seasons, and eat hay or baleage in winter. The best stew cuts are shoulder, shanks and neck. They enjoy making Moroccan tagine, Indian curry, and osso bucco. 

Come talk with the farmers at the market to get recipe details and other ideas.