Sunday, February 19, 2012

The Last Lamb Supper Club

Even as a devout carnivore, lamb isn't one of my favorite meats. I didn't exactly grow up with very much of it and the times it did come across my path, all I could remember was the gamey texture and sweaty taste. It wasn't until my first hoity toity tasting menu dinner by Chef Ron Siegel at (now-closed) Charles Nob Hill back in the late 90s that I understood lamb's joys and pleasures. Some day, I'll have to write about that experience, a whole sensory stimulation of the sight, scent and taste of each course with its immaculate wine pairing, artfully described by my date's creative poetry, all while sitting at the coveted corner table.

While last night's lamb experience was a far cry from that dinner, it was nowhere less spectacular. I'm sure I've said this before and I'll say it again, there's nothing like a well-cared-for home-cooked meal. Even some of the world's top chefs would probably say the same, nothing like it. So I couldn't have been happier that I was finally able to attend one of Mango & Tomato's Lamb Supper Club dinners sponsored by the Tri-Lamb Group.

This final of three installments was a hearty dinner of lamb shanks braised with white beans and tomatoes over a boiled potato, a perfect meal for our "winter" in DC. The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender, incredibly flavorful and beautifully seasoned, with all the vegetables adding a perfect texture to accompany the star. This picture I took does nothing to do it justice and I hope you will take the opportunity to read her recipe once she posts it next week.