Lamb Two Ways and Cooking Like My Grandmother

At the risk of losing you, I begin with the punch line.

The dish you see pictured above is … leftovers!!! (Cue frightening organ music)

It may be nicely dressed up as a Savory Lamb Pie, but it is leftovers nonetheless. Only the pastry crust is new.

In the 80s, the contents might have been tossed. In the 90s they might have gone to the compost pile. In 2009, leftovers are now the “it” weeknight meal.

This story begins with an organic, grass-fed leg of lamb from a farm in Central Pennsylvania. I took passion when my brother -- the original owner of the leg of lamb -- moved to Tennessee. It sat in my freezer for quite a while. My Nana used to cook leg of lamb on Sundays because we never had it at home, but because we never had it at home, I lacked the confidence to cook it. Finally, I decided I’d better get cooking to prevent a lovely piece of meat from going to waste.

I should have invited company, but I didn’t know how it would come out. So I plan a pretty luxurious spread … just for me. I rub the cut of meat with olive oil, orange zest, and dried thyme and roast. That’s it. It is a feast fit for a Tudor King.

Then comes the morning after…and the real effort. I cut six cups of diced lamb from the bone and put it in the freezer. It’s exactly what my grandmother would have done. It’s enough for…well … at least a meal or two for me.

Which brings us full circle to the luscious leftovers. Food historian Francine Segan once told me that pie crust was considered “Tupperware for leftovers” in medieval times. My culinary brain goes into overdrive and I imagine an elegant savory meat pie. I pull the leftover lamb chunks, some cooked barley, and frozen peas from the refrigerator.

I sauté one chopped onion, one clove of minced garlic, one cup of chopped celery and one cup of diced carrots in two tablespoons of olive oil. I add 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of ground cloves and sauté with two cups of diced lamb. Then I add about 26 ounces of chopped tomatoes from a carton, two cups of cooked barley, the zest of half an orange, ½ cup of frozen peas and a bay leaf and let it simmer until thickened. Meanwhile, I sauté sliced mini Yukon gold potatoes until crisp.

The pie is made by rolling one sheet of puff pastry into a 14 inch square and draping it in a 9 inch spring form pan. I layer half the meat mixture into the pan. Then I place a layer of sliced potatoes over that and finish with the rest of the meat mixture. A second piece of puff pastry is rolled into a 10 inch square. That square is placed on top of the pie and the edges are crimped together. I use the excess pastry to cut leaves to decorate the top. The whole thing is brushed with an egg wash and baked at 375 degrees for 45 minutes and is left to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

The pie is absolutely delicious, and the orange zest adds a bright, fresh note to the savory flavors. Recession? What recession? Henry VIII should be so lucky.

I should have invited company, but I thought it was just a leftover night. I’ll be eating Savory Lamb Pie for a week. And, I’ve still got enough meat left to put together a spicy lamb curry next weekend.

I’m ashamed to admit that I was never exactly thrifty. But, with all the bad news out there, I guess I had to take action eventually. I’m actually starting to see the back of the freezer again. And, I suspect my cooking habits may have changed forever. My grandmother is probably smiling up there in heaven. And, with any luck, the economy is doing a little better in Paradise than it is here. Meanwhile, my mother is already talking about leaving me Grandma’s meat grinder in her will.

©2009 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved