Lamb Stew with Fresh Sourdough
Our ranchers and farmers have been working against increasingly difficult circumstances throughout this year. The price of food, fuel and fertilizers have increased. Processing businesses have closed, leaving many business owners without a place to process their livestock. And the heat along with lack of water has been increasingly extreme. As the owner of two farmers markets, I have the opportunity to work closely with these lovely people who work tirelessly to provide food for the community. Through this space I want to strongly encourage you all to shop locally and support these men and women. Today’s lamb stew recipe is the perfect way to dip your toes in the water and source amazing and nutrient dense meats and produce from local vendors!
We are finally moving past the Summer heat, and with Winter squash beginning to appear at the markets and pumpkin spice in the air, I couldn’t help but get excited for the coming Fall season and….stew! I’ve always been a fan of recipes that can turn into an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink situation. Not only are they seasonal flexible, but they are a great way to reduce waste by using what you may have leftover from other recipes that week.
This lamb stew starts with the well cared for stew meat and bone broth from local ranchers who work with regenerative and holistic practices. Throw in whatever veggies catch your eye at the market and you are in business! It’s a great opportunity to have fun with new veggies, because there is no way anything cooked in stew broth can taste bad. I even picked up an unidentified winter squash just to try it out! — It ended up being a texture somewhere between butternut squash and spaghetti squash—
Here’s a run down of the lovely vendors you can source from to create this recipe!
Bedias Creek Farms cares about what we eat and how it gets to our table. With skill and patience, they are raising food in a holistic, regenerative way that tastes great! From soil to animals, they utilize remedies straight from nature. They believe the extra steps we take are worth the effort.
Driftwood Meadows began their journey as a family committed to putting better food on their table, food that comes from animals raised on pasture without the use of hormones or antibiotics. Located in Centerville, Driftwood provides pasture raised pork, chicken, and eggs.
Erbe Ranch is a family owned farm located in Cat Spring, Texas raising grass-fed beef, pastured poultry and pastured pork. The property has been in Farmer Brian’s family for over one hundred thirty five years.
Regen Ranch is a woman owned and run ranch in Oakwood, Texas. With the goal of providing clean food, Christine sells grass fed beef & lamb, pasture raised turkey, and farm fresh eggs.
Wood Duck is an 87 acre farm, located in Cleveland, Texas. They have a thriving CSA program and have been providing healthy produce to the community for years. Wood Duck is actually in the process of fighting a proposed landfill in San Jacinto County, visit this website to learn more about how you can help!
Plant it Forward works with independent, professional farmers with refugee backgrounds to grow and distribute fresh produce throughout the community. At our market locations we work with farmer Materanya “Pierre” Ruchinagiza, who is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Each market he brings delicious vegetables and good conversation. He’s an amazing asset to the markets and his farming knowledge is invaluable!
Animal Farm is a working, sustainable permaculture center located 65 miles west of Houston. They are dedicated to producing high quality certified organic vegetables and flowers. They sell at our markets, but also have a wonderful CSA program!
Verde Greens located in Houston, Texas, uses a combination of hydroponic and no-till soil cultivation methods to produce healthy, nutritious, pesticide- and herbicide-free leafy greens, herbs, and mixed vegetables for the community.
Sweetwater Farms HTX is a family-owned, urban farm located in Houston, Texas. They are 7 minutes from the loop in the middle of a food desert. It sits on 6 acres of land and is primarily used to teach inner city youth about agriculture through its partnership with TWEF. We grow some of the freshest seasonal veggies! Farm visits are reservation are only!
Share the love! If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to share photos and tag the vendors who provided the ingredients! One of the best ways to support these local, small businesses is by spreading the word and sharing your market finds with friends and family. And of course, if you stop by the Rice Village or Heights Mercantile markets striking up conversations with the vendors will always have you walking away with wonderful recipe ideas.
Ingredients - * indicates item purchased at the farmers market
*1-2 lbs. lamb stew meat
*16 oz. beef bone broth
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup flour
*2 Tbsp. olive oil
*1 bunch of carrots chopped
*Handful of red potatoes chopped
*1 winter squash chopped
*1 lb. mushrooms sliced
*2 onions chopped
*3 tomatoes chopped
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2-4 dried bay leaves
1 bunch of fresh thyme or directed equivalent of dried thyme (I used dried here)
*1 loaf sourdough bread
Optional: Add Guinness alongside the bone broth to switch it up and add another layer of flavor!
Method
Season your stew meat with salt and thyme and let sit for 40 min before cooking. Can be as much as 24 hours in advance if desired.
Add oil to a pot or dutch oven over medium heat and brown the stew meat. Set aside when done.
Add chopped onion to the pot and let soften. Add just enough broth to deglaze and scrape brown bits from the bottom.
Add the butter and flour to make a roux, cooking for another minute before turning the heat to low. Add the rest of the broth small amounts at a time, mixing until smooth. If using Guinness, add here.
Add the browned lamb back to the pot along with your bay leaves and more thyme if desired. Let simmer for 90 minutes or until the lamb is tender.
While the lamb is ~stewing~ chop your vegetables to add next.
Once the lamb is tender, add all of your vegetables and thyme and cook for 25 minutes or until the veggies are tender. If using fresh time, place the entire sprig in the liquid.
Lightly toast sliced sourdough by placing in preheated oven set to high broil for a minute to a minute and a half, flipping half-way through.
Once the veggies are tender, your stew is complete! Serve with the toasted sourdough bread so everyone can sop up the last of the liquid in the bowl.
We hope to see you at the 1st and 3rd Sunday at Rice Village Farmers Market or 2nd and 4th Sunday at Heights Mercantile Farmers Market. Both markets run from 9-1 pm, with Heights located at 714 Yale St. and Rice located at 2504 Amherst St. These markets operate rain or shine! We will have over 60 vendors, live music, and immaculate vibes.
Thank you for following along and supporting local!
xxCB