Yes, there's magnificent lamb this week, but there's also the best pick-me-up for those times when you hit the mid afternoon slump. Happens to us all!

 

Pasture to plate This week I’m sharing some delicious lamb recipes and featuring a story about the couple that farmed the sheep on their Southland property down near Invercargill. They produce export quality lamb but luckily for those of us living in New Zealand, it’s all sold here. Bill French started life as a traditional sheep farmer but he’s taken big strides since then. His brand, Leelands, named after his first farm which lay in the lee of the Takitimu Mountains, is based solidly on a trio of principles: sustainable farming practices (only natural rock fertilisers are used), animal welfare, and traceability – you can trace your dinner all the way from the French’s lush Southland pastures to your plate. There’s a bit of the number 8 wire mentality (that’s Kiwi ingenuity folks!), as Bill and wife Sue also do their own marketing, and travel the country selling direct to chefs and retail outlets. A farmer’s handshake has never meant so much.  What makes Leelands lamb taste so special? It’s not just the care taken all along the way, but the carcasses don’t undergo accelerated aging (common practice) and are aged naturally for 5 days. That produces tender, succulent meat with great flavour. Look at the photo. But there’s more to it than that. Have you ever wondered why you sometimes get stinky lamb? Read the story. You’ll pay for quality lamb though. Don’t for a moment kid yourself that all that cheap Aussie lamb in supermarket chillers has been farmed with this passion, nor had this care lavished on it. But maybe it is time to consider eating less meat, and of a higher quality. The lamb leg recipe featured here is a great example of how to do that. Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Caper Salsa. If it is wintery down your way, opt for a Butterflied Shoulder of Lamb with Preserved Lemon Pickle. Both of these cuts are boneless. The leg is quickly browned then cooked for 12 minutes. Fast and fabulous. The shoulder is slow-cooked, producing meat that can be pulled apart with a fork and spoon. Bill and Sue will be in Farro Fresh, Grey Lynn, Auckland, this Saturday if you would like to have a taste. https://www.farrofresh.co.nz Or you can order direct from Leelands – they are running a special for Shared Kitchen followers. Leelands  http://www.leelands.co.nz And, hey, if you've got an honest food story you would like to share with us, contact us here julie@sharedkitchen.co.nz We like innovative producers that are mindful of the footprint they leave, organic producers following sustainable practices. If you are proud of your product, there's a good chance we will be, too. And, in case you ever suffer from a mid-afternoon slump (who doesn’t!), I’m featuring l’affogato. It’s more than coffee. It’s more than ice cream. It’s coffee and ice cream in a cup. Yep, you pour piping hot espresso coffee over ice cream and watch it turn into a thick creamy dish of happiness. Spoonful by spoonful you will feel yourself revived, and be unable to stop a great big grin of delight spread across your face. Just like the cat that got the cream, you’ll purr your way through the afternoon. Cheers Julie