Local Lamb

My egg-man Keith walked into Motor with a great surprise for the kitchen staff--one of his beautiful lambs. Other than eggs and chickens I have a standing order. When he has a lamb ready here is how it works: no phone calls or emails, just a lamb.

I consider the kitchen at Motor to be an incubator for culinary talent. Having a whole carcass is a great teaching tool for my staff and helps me keep my meat-cutting skills in shape. Having whole animals brought to the restaurant is rare in this country, but in the rest of the world it is commonplace. Most four-legged animals are built the same way, so showing where the tenderloin is or where a NY strip would come from on a cow is invaluable. It also hammers in respect for the ingredient.

Some fun dishes I do require a whole lamb. One dish I learned long ago is a fillet-stuffed lamb saddle, which I get to do only a few times a year. We will also serve leg of lamb. The neck and forelegs we will be smoked for a ragout. The bones will be roasted and turned into stock and then from stock to a glace. The organs will go to my sous chef's dog.  Every part will be used because to not would be a shame.

I have made a photo journal in the extended body for those who would like to see the transformation of a raw product into dinner. Now be mindful that this is a whole carcass with the head on.