Last year we spent Passover with relatives in Cranbury, New Jersey and we ate the most delectable lamb stew. Before you hee and haw about the traditional Easter Ham and Passover Brisket, here are some nutrition facts about lamb.

• Lamb is high in B vitamins, zinc, iron and among the best source of absorbable iron.
• Lamb is one of the richest sources of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA possesses a unique and potent antioxidant activity. Produced naturally from linoleic acid by bacteria in the stomachs of herbivores such as sheep, goats, and cows, CLA cannot be manufactured in the human body.
• Regarded as a religious symbol, sheep were commonly used for sacrifice. Served during the Last Supper, lamb is traditionally eaten at Easter (especially Orthodox or Greek) and Passover.
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  They also raise beef, wild pig, and goat!

  Marin Sun Farms Point Reyes Station Butcher Shop  sells 100% grass-fed, finished, and pasture raised lamb.

• Since Americans only consume 0.8 pounds of lamb per capita, we don’t factory farm sheep. So the majority of lamb purchased from commercial grocery stores is still hormone and antibiotic free and grass-fed.

Spring Lamb Stew

Ingredients: 1.5 pounds of lamb stew meat, large onion, 4 cloves garlic, Meyer lemon zest & juice, bunch of fresh asparagus, 4 carrots, 1 leek, 1 bag frozen artichokes, new potatoes–5 kinds of any Spring vegetables you like, fresh parsley and thyme, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, vegetable broth, white wine, or just water. The photo doesn’t do it justice. The broth is a gorgeous yellow from the lemon zest and the lamb chunks barely peek out from all the colorful spring veggies.

Beautiful Spring vegetables are in season now!

In a bowl, combine lamb meat with the zest of one Meyer lemon, olive oil, salt, chopped garlic and pepper.  Be generous with salt, pepper, lemon zest and a tablespoon of EVOO. Mix well to marinate and set aside.

Chop vegetables as you like them–big chunks are favorable in stews. Slice the onion. Chop the zested and juiced Meyer lemon.

Brown the lamb on medium high heat. Add vegetables, 2 cups of liquid (broth or water a splash of white wine) and stir to combine. Last, add the frozen artichokes and stir again. Bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer 45 minutes. Adjust spices and add fresh parsley or thyme before serving.