Friday, May 4, 2012

Lamb Heart and Bone Stew

About three weeks ago on a nice sunny Saturday, the wife and me hit the U. District Farmers Market with a couple of foodie friends. It was one of those visits when everything seemed awesome! Even though this Farmers Market is close to where I live, visits are far in between and I meant to make the most of this one.

Highlights from all the purchases where:
1) Lamb Heart and Lamb Bone (forgetting the producer)
2) Rachel's Ginger Beer ( Thanks Lillian!)
3) Chevre from Blue Rose Dairy based in Winlock, WA

Lamb Heart and Bone Stew.

Ingredients:

2 Medium Lamb Hearts
2-3 pieces of Lamb Soup Bones
1 Cup flour
2 Cups mirepoix (diced onion, carrot, celery)
5-6 Cloves finely chopped garlic
Dried herbs (parsley, thyme, oregano, basil)
1/2 Cup Tomato sauce
2 Cups Red wine
Salt and Pepper


Prep:
Season half cup flour with salt, pepper and dried parsley, then coat heart nicely with flour. Fry on one side in canola oil for about 5 mins, then flip and fry for 2-3 more minutes (when heart turns medium-rare to medium, take it off heat and rest).
Season Bones with salt and pepper then brown on med. heat in canola oil in a 2-3 gallon pot.
Once the bones are sufficiently browned (but not burned), extract them and deglaze the pot with half a cup of red wine.
Add mirepoix  and garlic and saute for 10-15 mins till vegetables soften.
Add tomato sauce and saute for 10 more mins, then add your herbs.
Add remaining red wine, some more salt and pepper and reintroduce the heart and bones in the pot. (add 1/2 flour and incorporate if thicker stew is desired)
Cover and seal edges (I do it by first covering the pot with foil, then jamming the cover over the foil)
Cook on the lowest heat possible for 2 hours.
Before serving, extract the bones and heart, slice the heart in thin slices and serve over stew. (Bones can be discarded or eaten)