CHASKA, Minn. — When there is little left to be done in the field and the snow starts to fly, annual meetings start to crop up as organizations celebrate the year past and prepare for the year ahead. Many include elections, policy discussions and educational workshops. Few, though, hold up their “ness” as the Minnesota Lamb and Wool Producers do.
In addition to holding a multi-tiered wool competition every year, lamb and sheep farmers kick off their annual Shepherd’s Holiday gathering feasting on gourmet lamb dishes at MLWP’s annual Celebrate Lamb Social Dec. 2 at the Oak Ridge Hotel and Conference Center in Chaska.
Oak Ridge Executive Chef Virgil Emmert, who grew up on a Minnesota sheep farm, took attendees around the world with three lamb dishes.
Emmert’s samosa starter is rooted in India. He used ground lamb combined with garlic, onion, turmeric, chili paste, butter and madras seasoning as the stuffing for a homemade pastry. In lieu of traditional mint chutney, Emmert used a mint-spinach pesto.
The second lamb dish stopped south of the border. Lamb shoulder tacos included meat that was rubbed with Cajun spices and roasted overnight at 225 degrees. Emmert opted to top the shredded lamb tacos with lettuce, pico de gallo and lime sour cream.
Emmert went southern-style for his third and final dish. He served tender pieces of lamb shank that had been braised in Shakopee, Minn.’s Badger Hill Brewery’s Foundation Stout, which gave a hint of chocolate flavor. Lamb and gravy were served over a bed of cheesy grits and topped with pineapple and crushed tortilla chip sprinkles.
Superior Farms provided lamb for the Celebrate Lamb Social, along with recipes from the American Lamb Board to try:
Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb
2 racks of lamb (8 ribs each), trimmed
¾ cup finely chopped parsley
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh dill weed, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Combine all ingredients, except lamb; mix well. Pat mixture on outside of racks.
Place lamb on broiler rack, bone-side down, in shallow roasting pan.
Roast 30 to 35 minutes at 375F or to desired degree of doneness: 145F for medium-rare, 160F for medium or 170F for well.
Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Internal temperature will rise approximately 10 degrees.
Makes four servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Sheep and Lamb Trivia with Chef Virgil
• What is the difference between sheep and goat sounds? Sheep say “baa,” goats say “maa.”
• What is the oldest organized industry in the United States? The American Sheep Industry.
• Sheep __have excellent _____ to make up for poor eyesight. (Hearing.)
• Lamb is lowest in _____ of all red meats. (Cholesterol.)
• Lambs typically __have how many teeth? Eight.
