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THE BEET: NEWS & NOTES FROM THE RANCH

May 25, 2019

Arancini Di Agnello

Arancini di Agnello

Pair with Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
E.J. Church Sangiovese, Napa Valley
INGREDIENTS FOR THE ROASTED LAMB
  • 1 ea lamb shoulder, whole bone in 5-7 lbs
  • 2 tbs fennel seed
  • 2 tbs salt
  • 1 tbs cumin seed
  • 1 tbs coriander seed
  • 1 Tbs paprika
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes
  • 3 sprigs rosemary, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of EVOO
INGREDIENTS FOR GREEN GARLIC PUREE
  • 1 bunch green garlic tops

 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE RICE
  • 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 cups arborio rice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup dry white wine or water
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
LAMB
  • Process seeds in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Drizzle in olive oil and add chopped rosemary and remaining ingredients. Rub lamb shoulder and let sit for 2-4 hours.
  • Heat oven to 375 F and roast until it develops a nice crust (around 1 ½- 2 hours), next turn the oven down to 225 F, wrap the shoulder or cover if using a dutch oven and slow roast until falling off the bone. Depending on the size this could take another 2-3 hours.
  • Once the lamb is cooled enough, shred and lightly chop the meat. It may require some more seasoning. You can add more of the rub or just salt.
  • ALTERNATIVE: You could also use the braised lamb shanks from our recipe.
GREEN GARLIC PUREE
  • Chop the tops into 1/8th inch pieces and rinse in cold water to remove any dirt. While cleaning start a pot of water boiling and add enough salt to taste almost like seawater.
  • Once boiling add the green garlic tops and cook about 5 minutes til the are very soft. Immediately place in ice to cool.
  • In a blender add the green garlic and some of the melted ice water, just enough to make the blender catch and spin. Blend on high for 5 minutes until it begins to steam.
  • Once steaming, blend for 1 more minute and then chill immediately. We recommend 2 bowls, with ice water in the bottom one.
RICE
  • In a large saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a Dutch oven, sauté onion in oil until tender. Add rice and garlic; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in wine. Cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed.
  • Add heated broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients; cook and stir until heated through.
  • Fold in green garlic puree, spread out on a cookie sheet and let cool.
ASSEMBLY
  • Next, we will use a culinary technique known as standard breading which includes three steps: dredging in flour, moistening in egg wash (beaten egg plus a tablespoon or two of water or milk), then coating in crispy breadcrumbs like Panko.
  • The quantities will depend on how large your lamb shoulder is.
On average:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 6  eggs
  • 3- 4 cups Panko bread crumbs
TO ASSEMBLE
  • Portion rice using a cookie scoop or spoon to even sized balls about 1 inch in diameter.
  • Flatten to a disc and place a small amount of roasted lamb in the middle.
  • Next form the ball around the lamb and roll until round.
  • Once all the balls are formed place in the refrigerator for 2 -4 hours until chilled and set. They will be easier to bread this way.
  • Next set up the standard breading station in 3 separate bowls or pans.
  • Start by rolling the balls in the flour with one hand, remove and add to the egg wash, with the opposite hand or slotted spoon remove from egg wash and add to breadcrumbs.
  • Use your first or dry hand to remove from the breadcrumbs. Basically, you need to dedicate one hand for dry and one for wet to avoid stress during the process.
 AIOLI
  • The simplified ration for aioli is:  1 egg yolk + 1 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
  • This ratio can be seasoned with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to yield a simple and traditional Aioli.
  • We have added preserved lemon for this recipe which can be made easily at home or purchased. You could play around adding herbs, spices, etc however the recipe above is the base for your creativity.
TO FINISH
  • Using a medium size dutch oven or shallow sided stock pot bring blended oil 80/20 (80 % canola & 20 % EVOO) or a rice oil to 350F-375F. Make sure you have enough oil to submerge the arancini.
  • Gently lower the arancini into the oil using a slotted spoon being careful not to splatter and fry 3-5 minutes until golden brown and warm throughout.
  • Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Season with some sea salt while warm and enjoy.
April 20, 2019

Calving at Tomales Station

Barn in a field

April marks the start of calving season at our Tomales Station in Marin County, just 5 miles from the coast. We recently caught up with our ranchers José Luis Flores and Bill Jensen to meet the calves and learn about the operation.

Bill, who was raised in Tomales, shared some interesting observations about this year’s winter weather. Growing up, he and his friends knew March as “Kite Month,” due to its cool and blustery, but often dry, conditions. This year was a particularly rainy season, with the wet conditions extending through the end of April. It left the ranch with an abundance of lush, green grass and some very happy cows, but sadly no kite flying. Over a dozen calves have been born this spring, and we are expecting about 90 total. On the day we visited, mother cows were carefully watching their calves, many of which were dozing off in the grass.

Baby longhorn in a field
PASTURE BREEDING

In the summer months, José Luis transports our bulls, who live most of the year at our Mayacamas Estate, to Tomales Station. The cows are grouped into pastures in small herds of about 30 cows. Just one bull is placed in each pasture to breed with the females, since allowing more than one bull per pasture results in bullfights. The bulls remain in their respective pastures with the cows for about four months to ensure each cow will bear a calf. The gestation period lasts 305 days or about 10 months, so most of the cows give birth throughout the months of April & May.

Longhorns in the field
FROM NURSING TO GRAZING

For their first few days of life, the calves will only nurse. Then around five or six days old they begin grazing, by watching their mothers and following their lead, they learn to nibble at the ground. The green, lush spring grass in Tomales is easy for them to digest, but the calves won’t rely solely on forage until they are weaned at around six and a half months. In November, José Luis and Bill will move the calves from their mothers into separate pastures and once the female calves mature, they will become part of the breeding program.

Man in cowboy hat standing in a field with longhorns
April 15, 2019

Rutherford Estate – Greenhouses

Long Meadow Ranch Rutherford property

Have you ever wondered where all the delicious, fresh organic produce in your Farmstead meal comes from? You’ll find the hub of our farming operation just off Highway 29 at our Rutherford Estate, where our farmers grow most of the vegetables and fruits we use at Farmstead and the Farmers’ Market. Each year, the growing season begins in the greenhouse where we cultivate seedlings for over 100 different varieties of heirloom fruits and vegetables. Come on a tour of our two greenhouses with Jess and Noel, Culinary Farm Manager and Production Coordinator, to see what’s growing.

Heading into spring, the greenhouses at our Rutherford Estate are at capacity, and our seedlings and farmers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of warmer, drier weather.

Inside of the Beet Greenhouses
GREENHOUSE 1: THE STARTER NURSERY

Everything grown in the greenhouse is started from seed sourced from certified organic seed banks. The majority of our produce begins its growth cycle here.

Locally grown peppers at Long Meadow Ranch

Greenhouse 1 is kept at a balmy 75 degrees. Seeds are planted directly in a small tray of unfertilized soil then nurtured until they sprout. Once they have two true leaves, we move them to our second greenhouse.

Locally sourced herbs at the Long Meadow Ranch greenhouses
GREENHOUSE 2: THE COOL HOUSE

Greenhouse 2 is kept at a slightly lower temperature. As we transfer the seedlings into this greenhouse, we start to fertilize them, about once a week. We use fish emulsion and a probiotic mix to promote equal root and leaf growth.

The seedlings are coddled in the greenhouses with the warm temperatures and lack of exposure to the natural elements (temperature fluctuation, full sun exposure, wind) so they need to be prepared for their eventual transplant to the fields. To prepare them, they are placed outside daily for an increasing amount of time, until they are stable enough to be transplanted. This process is called “hardening off” and is done to prevent transplant shock.

WHAT’S GROWING ON

We are seeding some popular summer crops including tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, as well as multiple varieties of microgreens, which are grown year-round in the greenhouses.

Next month melons and cucumbers will be seeded. These crops grow much faster than the other summer crops, so they are started slightly later. Melons and cucumbers will go from seed to planting in only a month, whereas tomatoes and peppers need at least six weeks before planting.

Long Meadow Ranch growing their own herbs at the Beet Greenhouses
TOMATOES

Tomato season is the best time of the year at Farmstead. Our dishes are full of color with a variety of heirloom tomatoes to choose from – copia, cherokee purple, lucid gem, and green zebra. Fried green tomatoes are typically on the menu starting in July, followed by the ripe tomatoes in August.

This year we aim to get ripe tomatoes on the table a little sooner than in the past, possibly as early as June. Jess is growing some of the crop in large containers along the inside edges of the greenhouse, giving them a jumpstart on growth while it is still too cold outside. These plants will come to full maturity inside the greenhouse and be ready for harvest in June. The rest of the tomatoes will be transplanted to the field when warmer Napa Valley nights are here to stay and will be ready to eat later in the summer.

The Beet Greenhouses
MICROGREENS

Greenhouse 2 is currently full of microgreens. All of the microgreens for the restaurant and Chef’s Table are grown in the greenhouses. Once they are ready for harvest, our farm team delivers them in their trays to the restaurant. The culinary crew then cut and plate them as needed. Anything that isn’t used travels back to the farm for composting.

When it comes to choosing what greens to grow, our farmers focus on color. The chefs like a variety of colors for the plate, so we grow beets, chard, radishes, amaranth for their hues of red and yellow. We also grow arugula, tatsoi, celery, and basil. An assortment of microgreens creates a beautiful texture on the plate.

For Chef’s Table, Estate Chef Aaron prefers a different variety of greens and for them to be bigger than what is used in the restaurant, so our farmers mixed and planted a specific blend of seeds just for Chef’s Table. This year they are also growing radishes and turnips, which are kept small. Chef Aaron simply rinses them off and plates them.

Hands touching herbs in the greenhouse at Long Meadow Ranch
April 1, 2019

Poultry

Baby chick standing on a scale

In March we added 100 baby chicks to our family of chickens. These chicks spend their first weeks in the brooder staying warm. Once they grow enough feathers, we move them to a transitional coop with an outdoor run. This summer, they will be introduced to the rest of our hens in our ultramodern chicken coop. Separated at first, the new group will meet the rest of the flock. Once everyone is friendly, the two groups merge and graze on specially-blended, seeded grass in sections of our fruit orchards.

Chickens at Long Meadow Ranch

Not only do the hens provide fresh, organic eggs for our restaurant and farmers market’s but they are an integral part of the full-circle farming model that is employed throughout Long Meadow Ranch. They feed on farm scraps, including fallen fruit later in the season, which aids in breaking fruit pest cycles. In addition, their manure contributes to our composting program, adding a necessary nitrogen-rich element.

Having raised chickens for almost 30 years, egg production at Long Meadow Ranch has become a well-honed program. We raise six different breeds of chickens (Red Sex Link, Delaware, Barred Plymouth Rock, Black Australorp, Araucana, and Cuckoo Marans) and each produces eggs of a slightly different color. This diversity creates a beautiful rainbow of multi-colored eggs in the cartons at the Farmers’ Market.

March 25, 2019

Early Spring Salad

Early Spring Salad

Pair with Long Meadow Ranch Pinot Gris, Anderson Valley
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cup wild arugula
  • 4 cups assorted winter chicories cleaned and chopped
  • (endive, radicchio, escarole etc all work great)
  • 4 ounces of a firm goat cheese, broken into chunks
  • 1/4 cup Meyer lemon segments
  • 1/4 candied walnuts
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
  • 4 tbsp LMR honey
  • 4 tbsp champagne vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup EVOO
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Vinaigrette
  • Combine all ingredients into a mason jar, shake up emulsified.
Assembly
  • Mix the chicories and arugula with the dressing adding it slowly until they are well coated
  • Garnish with the cheese, lemon, walnuts and serve immediately
March 20, 2019

Jess Arnsteen

Man in the farm with lettuce heads

MEET OUR CULINARY FARM MANAGER,
JESS ARNSTEEN

 

Originally from Colorado, Jess studied history and philosophy in college before starting a fair trade coffee roasting business with a friend. Eventually, he realized his true passion was in growing food rather than buying and selling it, so he started working on farms. After starting an edible landscape business where he ripped people’s backyard lawns and installed vegetable gardens, he moved on to managing larger and more diversified farms in Colorado. Finally, he moved out here to Northern California.

January 27, 2019

Chicken and Adouille Sausage Jambalaya

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

Pair with Long Meadow Ranch Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
E.J. Church Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley

 

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
  • 2 pounds boneless-skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups long-grain rice
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 2 tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • Garnish: chopped green onion
INSTRUCTIONS
  • In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat; add sausage and chicken, and cook about 5 minutes or until browned.
  • Add onion, celery, and bell pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes or until tender.
  • Add garlic, stirring for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add rice, and stir about 3 minutes until lightly toasted.
  • Add tomatoes, and stir until juices are absorbed. Add broth, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low.
  • Cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until rice is tender.
  • Garnish with green onion and parsley.
January 15, 2019

Balsamic Braised Grass-Fed Lamb Shanks

Balsamic Braised Grass-Fed Lamb Shanks

vella cheddar grits and gremolata bread crumbs

Pair with Long Meadow Ranch Merlot, Napa Valley
Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford
 
INGREDIENTS 
Lamb Shanks
  • 6 lb grass-fed lamb shanks (6–8 shanks, depending on size), trimmed

  • 2 tbsp kosher salt plus more for seasoning

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tsp minced fresh rosemary

  • 1 tsp coarsely ground fennel seeds

  • 7 garlic cloves, 1 grated, 6 minced

  • Zest from 1 lemon

  • 3 tbsp olive oil

  • 2 large onions, minced

  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1.5 cups balsamic vinegar

  • 4 cups (or more) chicken broth or lamb stock

  • 2 tbsp EVOO

Breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup clarified butter or ghee
  • 3/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
INSTRUCTIONS
Lamb
  • Season lamb shanks all over with 2 tbsp salt and generously with pepper. Mix rosemary, fennel seeds, lemon zest and grated garlic in a small bowl. Rub shanks with the mixture and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or chill overnight.
  •  Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium-high heat.
  • Sear shanks on all sides in small batches and remove from pot.
  • Scrape any crusty bits from the lamb-searing off the bottom of your pot (don’t discard, just scrape them up to loosen them and prevent them from burning).
  • Next sweat onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden, 8–10 minutes.
  • Add minced garlic, flour, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to distribute the flour.
  • Gradually stir in 4 cups broth and balsamic vinegar. Simmer until flavors meld, 3–4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add lamb shanks to pot in a single layer, pushing them down until they are at least 3/4 submerged.
  • Cover and cook, turning shanks occasionally, until meat is fork-tender and almost falling off the bone, 1.5 to 2 hours (time will depend on the size of shanks). Remove from oven and skim off fat from surface of sauce. Let shanks rest in liquid for at least 30 minutes. This will also benefit from sitting overnight.
  • Remove the shanks from the pot and strain the liquid into a saucepan. Discard the solids.
  • Cook the sauce over medium heat until it has reduced by half. This should take 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and more vinegar if desired. Then pour over the shanks when serving.
Grits
  • In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Slowly stir in the grits.
  • Reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, stirring frequently, until the grits are tender, 20 minutes.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cheese, butter, and cream.
  • Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Breadcrumbs
  • Heat clarified butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the fat is hot add the Panko and continually toss to keep from burning.
  • Once it is golden brown remove from pan and cool on a sheet tray.
  •  Add a pinch of salt for seasoning.
  • Using a sharp knife, mince parsley and mix with remaining ingredients in a small bowl; toss to evenly incorporate. Add the cooled breadcrumbs and it’s ready to use.
  • Place grits in center of bowl or plate and rest lamb shank on top. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and parsley, and drizzle with EVOO.
January 10, 2019

Pruning

Getting The Vineyard Ready For The Season: Time To Prune

Fog in the vineyard
Sauvignon Blanc, San Mateo Vineyard, Rutherford Estate

When we spoke with Pilo Villanueva, our Crew Foreman, for last month’s Beet, he shared that pruning season is his favorite time of year. Preparing the vines for the growing season is hard work but it is the year’s first critical step toward healthy fruit, and ultimately beautiful wines. It will take our entire vineyard crew a couple of months to complete the daunting task, but it’s well worth the effort.

Pruning is the practice of removing the previous season’s growth from the vines. By removing canes and opening the canopy, we create the right conditions for achieving each vine’s desired fruit quality and quantity. It is one of the most important vineyard operations of the year and sets the growth trajectory for this season.

Long Meadow Ranch workers pruning the vines

Typically we begin in January and continue through early spring. The timing is crucial as it must occur when the vine is completely dormant to promote growth and prevent disease.

METHOD

Pruning methods vary based on the type of trellis – the structure for training and supporting the vine – and because we use various trellis types for different vineyards and varietals, our team has become expert in numerous styles of pruning.

In our San Mateo Ranch Sauvignon Blanc vineyard at our Rutherford Estate the vines are cane pruned on an open lyre trellis.

View down the pruned branches of vines at Long Meadow Ranch

open lyre trellis, before pruning

With cane pruning, the optimal canes from the previous season’s growth are chosen to be the new fruiting canes, and we remove all other canes. Our crew looks for healthy canes that will promote ideal fruit orientation with open clusters, even light, and airflow. Our practice is to leave four canes per vine.

Pruning vines

With over 150 planted acres of vines, pruning is no small chore. It is time and labor intensive for our crew, requiring technique and skill. After many weeks of work, we impatiently await bud break, hopefully after the last frost, and the start of a new growth cycle.

December 20, 2018

Gingerbread Ranch Cookies

Gingerbread Ranch Cookies

Great with our Stumptown Farmstead Blend Organic Coffee
INGREDIENTS
  • 18 oz all-purpose flour
  • 6 oz brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 8 oz/2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 1 oz whole milk
ICING
  • 1 lb powdered sugar 
  • 4 tbsp whole milk
INSTRUCTIONS
  • Combine dry ingredients in a bowl: all-purpose flour, brown sugar cinnamon, ground ginger, baking soda, ground cloves, and salt. Set aside.
  • Melt butter. Pour into mixing bowl with paddle attachment.
  • Add molasses and whole milk and mix together.
  • Slowly add the dry ingredients, scraping the bottom of the bowl to ensure it is well mixed.
  • Pat dough into a square and wrap tightly. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to firm up.
  • Roll out dough using a small amount of flour to keep from sticking. Cut out shapes. Re-roll scraps and continue to cut out shapes.
  • Refrigerate dough at least 30 minutes before baking.
  • Space out cookies on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake at 350F for approximately 8-12 minutes, depending on your preference for soft or crispy cookies.
  • Allow to cool completely before decorating.
ICING
  • Mix powdered sugar and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable (mixture will thicken slightly as it sets).

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