Category: Superior Farms

Superior Farms Explains Why Your Restaurant Should Add Lamb to The Menu

Superior Farms has been helping restaurants incorporate lamb onto their menu items since 1964. As people continue to look for lean alternatives to fattier meats, lamb consumption is on the rise. Lamb also helps a restaurant diversify its menu from their competitors. Superior Farms believes lamb should be more popular in America and the fact that it helps a business standout from their competition is just part of the reason.

As the world grows more aware of the impact human decisions make on our environment, patrons of restaurants want to know that the places where they eat are environmentally conscious. Those who work with Superior Farms can rest assured that the company providing their lamb products is taking every precaution to offer their lamb in a way that puts the environment first. What does that mean? It all starts with how the lamb is raised and treated. In order for a sheep rancher to be a producer partner of Superior Farms, they must make a commitment to also be stewards of the land where their flock grazes. Additionally, the Superior Farms facility in California utilizes energy from wind and solar, reduces water consumption and uses food packaging that minimizes waste. Lamb product packed in airtight packaging ensures that the lamb remains fresh for as long as possible, which helps extend product life and lower unnecessary waste.

Superior Farms works with restaurants who have chefs who understand the countless combinations of dishes and entrees that are presented to them when they utilize lamb as their main protein. Superior Farms offers several value-added items that are pre-cooked and pre-seasoned, making it easy to serve American lamb. The Superior Farms blog is regularly updated with new items and recipes so that restaurants can continue to find new ways to inspire the chefs who utilize their lamb.

Another great selling point for restaurants is that Superior Farms offers lamb product that is Halal Certified. This is a key selling point for both those who require this based on religious and dietary needs. Quite simply, lamb is the meat that provides restaurants with an alternative to chicken and beef that customers will want to come back and enjoy time after time.

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Superior Farms Provides Delectable Dark Stout Lamb and Dumpling Stew Recipe

Superior Farms has, since 1964, maintained a thoughtful approach to business that entails raising livestock with kindness and respect to produces better-tasting, superior quality lamb. Superior Farms acknowledges that some customers may be in regions that are experiencing extreme winter weather this time of the year and may want a warming dish fitting for the weather.

If you crave a hearty lamb recipe for this this winter season, look no further than this lamb and dumpling stew recipe provided by Superior Farms. Superior Farms suggests these ingredients to create a deep, rustic stew perfect for the cold and snow:

Stew

4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb American Lamb shoulder, diced
2 tbsp Whole butter
2 small Cipollini onions, peeled
16 small garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed
2 fresh bay leaves
¼ cup tomato paste
5 heirloom carrots, peeled and cut into a roll cut ½
2 cups flour
1/2 cup dark stout
2 stalks celery, peeled and medium diced
1 cup lamb jus
½ cup diced canned Italian plum tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Dumplings

9 ounces self-rising flour
4 ounces cold butter
Salt and pepper to taste

After gathering the ingredients for the dish, ready a rondo pan over medium heat and add oil. Sear the lamb shoulder in batches until the lamb appears both brown and caramelized, adding oil if necessary.

Remove lamb from pan, and add butter, onions, garlic, carrots, and bay leaves. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and flour, allowing the mixture to cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Deglaze the rondo pan with the stout. Add tomatoes and lamb jus, give it a stir, and allow it to simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Add the lamb reserved from earlier along with celery and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook the stew at 325°F for 1 ½ hours. Remove the lid from the pan and allow the stew to cook an additional thirty minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and allow it to simmer for about 30 minutes.

For the dumplings, add flour to a mixing bowl. Use a course grater to grate the cold butter into the flour. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Use your fingers to gently rub butter into flour until it starts to resemble breadcrumbs. A splash of cold water can help to bind the dough. Divide the dough into 12 pieces, gently rolling each of the pieces into a round shaped dumpling. Place the dumplings atop the stew and press down to slightly submerge the dumplings into the sauce. Put the stew back into the oven and bake at 325°F for a final 30 minutes.

Recipe Courtesy of American Lamb Board

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This Festive Recipe from Superior Farms is Perfect Fit for Upcoming Holiday Dinners

Friends and families from all across the country will soon be traveling great distances for long-overdue holiday season get-togethers. In fact, auto insurance company AAA expected some 55 million travelers to take to the road, rails and air for Thanksgiving — and Christmas is only going to drive that total up. “Strong economic fundamentals are motivating Americans to venture out this holiday in near-record numbers,” AAA found, noting that this year’s Thanksgiving total was the second-highest it had ever recorded since tracking began in 2000.

When these millions of travelers arrive, appetites will be at an all-time high so Superior Farms wants to offer recipes that will appease guests. Walking out of the cold and into a warm, welcoming home that’s filled with the smells of a fresh-cooked dinner is one of the hallmarks of holiday travel. Below, we’ll offer a festive recipe — courtesy of the American Lamb Board — that’s sure to please guests and spark new traditions! “Festive” is the operative word here, as you’ll see below.

Festive Lamb Crown Roast with Oven Roasted Vegetables from Superior Farms
Approximate preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients: 2 whole garlic heads, 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary, 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil, 1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme, 1 American Lamb crown roast, cap removed from ribs, salt and coarse ground pepper, oven-roasted vegetables for serving

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut a half-inch off tops of garlic. Place garlic in small metal baking pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast for 1 hour. Let garlic cool and squeeze cloves into small bowl. Mash the garlic with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil then set aside.

2) In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add breadcrumbs. Stir and cook until browned. Pour mixture into a bowl and mix in chopped herbs.

3) Place crown roast into roasting pan. Rub garlic mixture over the outside of the roast. Generously season lamb from Superior Farms with salt and pepper. Pat breadcrumb mixture over entire roast.

4) Roast crown roast at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 45 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

5) Remove roast from oven and pour roasted vegetables in center of pan. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

6) Carve roast and serve two to three lamb chops per serving.

Superior Farms is proud to play a role in so many holiday meals across the country. Those who try out the recipe above will soon discover a new main course that can replace the dinner dish that’s been on the menu for decades.

Recipe courtesy of American Lamb Board

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Warm up Your Autumn with Superior Farms’ Shepherd’s Pie

Autumn is here which means, for many of us in the US, the weather is starting to cool off and cravings for hearty and warm meals are sure to grow. This shepherd’s pie recipe by Superior Farms is perfect for those in need of a delicious kitchen staple to carry them through the colder months. Don’t be afraid of the substitution of biscuit as opposed to the traditional mashed potato. We find that the substitution is just perfect for sopping up the rich shepherd’s pie mixture.

Recipe provided by The American Lamb Board:

1 lb of ground American lamb (preferably about 85 percent lean meat)
1 shallot, chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 (16- ounce) package of frozen carrots and peas, defrosted and drained
1 (15-ounce) can plain tomato sauce
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
¼ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp dried parsley
1/3 tsp dried marjoram
1 cup biscuit baking mix (Bisquick, etc.)
2 tbsp finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
¼ tsp dried rosemary crushed
½ cup of whole milk
2 tbsp low sodium butter, melted

Superior Farms recommends preheating the oven to 425°F. Meanwhile, heat a large heavy bottomed skillet on medium heat and cook the lamb. Be sure to break it up into small pieces. After about two minutes, add the celery and onion, continuing to cook until the meat is browned, about 8 minutes. Take the opportunity to drain excess fat and moisture, then return the skillet to the stove.

Add vegetables, tomato sauce, herbs, salt, and pepper and be sure to cook until the mixture is completely heated through, about five to six minutes. Afterwards, spoon the mixture into six 8-ounce ramekins and set them aside. In a small bowl, combine biscuit mix, cheese, and rosemary. Incorporate the milk and butter, slowly stirring until just combined. You are now ready to spread the dough over each of the ramekins individually. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown. Remove the ramekins from the oven and set them aside for 5 minutes. You will now have scrumptious individual shepherd’s pies. Perfect for the autumn!

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Superior Farms Adds Flavor to Your Dinner Party with Goat Cheese & Arugula Lamb Pizza

Since 1964, Superior Farms has been providing quality lamb to American families. Superior Farms is dedicated to maintaining a sustainable business, while simultaneously celebrating lamb’s distinction as a versatile and flavorful meat.

While its delicious flavor makes cheese a dinner party staple, many hosts miss the wonderful variety that can be found beyond cheeses made from cow’s milk. Superior Farms find that the luxurious, tangy taste of goat cheese is the perfect change of pace for a dinner party when paired with arugula and, of course, the exciting flavor profile of ground lamb.

Surely anyone could make a passable appetizer, but Superior Farms promises much more than that. Superior Farms promises that our Goat Cheese & Arugula Lamb Pizza will impress at your next dinner party!

Recipe is provided by The American Lamb Board:

1 package of premade whole-grain pizza dough, thawed
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb ground American lamb
1 medium shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp dried oregano
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
¾ cup crumbled goat cheese
2 cups arugula (about 2 ounces)

After prepping the ingredients, Superior Farms suggests preheating the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to brush a rimmed baking sheet with about a teaspoon of olive oil. Then, simply use your hands to spread the pizza dough over the length of the baking sheet. Push the dough from edge to edge or roll the dough out on a floured surface and transfer it to the baking sheet). Bake the dough for five minutes, afterwards being sure to remove from the oven and set aside.

Superior Farms recommends heating a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and adding a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add lamb, garlic, shallots, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper and be sure to cook until the lamb is completely brown (about 5 minutes). Remove the skillet from the heat.

Brush the baked pizza crust with a teaspoon of oil. Evenly distribute cooked lamb and pepperoncini over the crust and top the pizza with the crumbled goat cheese. Bake the pizza for about 15 minutes, when the cheese will look slightly melted and the edges appear golden brown. Toss the arugula with a teaspoon of olive oil. Set it aside momentarily.

Remove the pizza from the oven and top it with the arugula. Afterwards, you are now ready to enjoy a classy and delicious appetizer that is sure to impress your friends and family!