Are You Anything Like This?

Hey There !

Dave from McElhoes Family Farm/Belmont here.

Are you anything like this? I have gotten a lot of good things done so far this year - herbs, and brassicas are nestled in their trays and stretching their tiny stems toward the grow lights, mulches and weed barriers are largely spread on the new truck patch awaiting new berry cuttings and seedling transplants, potatoes are chitted, and should be in the ground by the time you read this.

And yet, all I seem to see, all I seem to obsess over, are the fence repairs, fence building, overdue pruning, house repairs... Yikes!

I don't know if feeling bit overwhelmed is symptom or a warning. Sometimes I am just glad to get through the day and make it to supper when we all sit together, eat and catch up and count our blessings.

The sunshine has been making some progress since the Equinox last week, and already I can feel the extra energy I get with the Vitamin D I get when it shines on me. I am like a potted plant - I need that sunshine. We were raised on "old wives tales" of sunshine healing us in ways we accepted but didn't understand then. I read somewhere lately, that part of the reason folks are more susceptible to sunburn and such is connected to an imbalance of too many Omega 6 fatty acids in our diet versus Omega 3 fatty acids. I am not going to lie to you and tell you I understand all that, most anyone of you will know more about it than I do, but I do know that grass fed meats are a good way of balancing those things out.

It also seems to me that grass may be the single best solar collector I know of.

Now if the grass would just get to growing so we can get the animals out onto it.

Oh - and I have to get the fences fixed so the animals stay in the pasture and out of the truck patch... :)

Dave

P.S.: Here's an idea for your supper. It's what we are having tonight.

Rustic Lamb Pie

• 2 pounds ground lamb
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, diced
• 1 Large onion thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
• 3 cups chicken or beef stock
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ¼ cup corn starch
• ½ cup cool water
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed at room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position.
2. In a large cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the lamb and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Transfer the cooked lamb to a plate.
3. To the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is glistening, add the celery, carrots, and onions. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute or so.
4. Add the cooked lamb, potatoes, stock, spices, and salt and stir until combined. Bring to a light boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, just until potatoes are tender. Stir in the peas to warm them up.
5. In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the lamb mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened. Remove the skillet from heat.
6. Brush the rim of the skillet with a thin layer of the beaten egg. If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet you may transfer the lamb mixture to a deep-dish pie pan or 2-quart baking dish.
7. Roll out the thawed puff pastry and place it on top of the skillet or baking dish, covering the meat mixture completely, press the puff pastry to stick it to the edges of the skillet. Trim any excess pastry. Using a sharp knife, make a few slits on the top to create vents. Brush the puff pastry all over with the whisked egg.
8. Transfer the pie to the oven and cook until the pastry is golden brown and crispy. 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it and if the pastry begins to brown too much, cover it with foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.