Lamb Leftovers

Now there is an earth shattering post title.  Like we haven't all had leftovers from a roast before?  For the unjaded here's what i did with the leftovers from our last Roast Lamb meal.

Rob's lunch the next day was of course the same again, in a lunch container for heating up at work.  He drives his fellow workers nuts with his home cooked meals and he tells me its the highlight of his day.  Insert smug look here.

Day 3 I made lamb pasties or whatever you call chunks of cooked lamb with an assortment of veggies  - leftover roasted pumpkin and beans, corn, potato, with tomato sauce, salt & pepper.  I used shop bought puff pastry and just folded it into a large triangle, rounded off corners, and crimped the edge to seal.  I brushed with egg yolk to make them lovely and golden.

I sprinkled the puff pastry with cumin seeds - its my favourite spice at the moment.  It adds a little exotic flavor that lifts this meal from mundane to well, pretty spectacular if i say so myself.    Another favourite pastie is chicken (using left over cooked chicken), sauteed mushrooms and a can of mushroom soup.

Day 4 i made lamb fritters.  These were a childhood favourite made from that last bit of meat near the bone that is cut into small pieces.  Off my small roast i got about two handfuls which i had saved for this meal. Mum would have used this as a way to stretch the leftovers for a family of eight.

Just make a batter - 1 cup of flour (i use SRF), 1 Egg and about 1 cup of milk to make a plain batter. Adjust milk to make it a coating consistency.  If you are making savoury fritters, then season to taste.  Get creative and add to the meat anything you want. Parents might like to sneak in some grated veggies.   I added a little garlic and mixed herbs to the lamb.  Shallow pan fry in a mix of oil and butter and drain on paper towel when golden and cooked through.  You can use this batter to make potato fritters, corn fritters, what ever you want.  I served with a thick rich tomato sauce for yet more flavour.  

Lastly, there is the bone.  I'd like to tell you that i used it making a stock or  soup, and i would have if a certain Miss Tilly hadn't been pleading with me to let her have it for days.  She was so funny trying to lift it in her little mouth and then trying to jump up onto the couch with it.  Too Heavy.  So she skulked under the coffee table with warning growls to anyone who came near.   A few hours later it was clean and has been both a wonderful toy as well as cleaning her teeth.   Sound gross?  Well that's just the kind of house i run.  It may not be perfectly clean and Rob came out and said it looked like a dinosaurs graveyard in here but we are all happy and haven't died yet.   I might get a few raised eyebrows from visitors though.

Since I've run out of lamb to demonstrate - I've jumped around and found some other fabulous ways to use left over roast lamb.  Enjoy!

Lamb Curry - Goodness there are so many different recipes online but my simple one uses the recipe on the side of the container of Clive of India - Authentic Curry Powder.  Fry up some onion and garlic until translucent, add curry powder, cook for 2 min and add cooked meat.  Add chopped tomatoes, cook 5 min, add coconut cream and stir through.  Simmer for 30 minutes.   I usually make this in a slow cooker but it should only take a few hours as the meat is already cooked.  My mother adds sliced green apples, sultanas and shredded coconut.  Very fruity and tonnes of flavour.  Yet again, making meals STRRREETTTCHHH!!

Leftover Lamb Shepherds Pie     Add garlic salt to the mash - yummmmm

Henry Dimbleby's Lamb Pilaf
Gently fry an onion and some garlic in olive oil. (You can also throw in some thinly sliced carrots, leeks, fennel – or whatever else is wilting at the bottom of your fridge.) Add some basmati rice (one cup for every two people). Add 1½ cups of stock (or water) for every cup of rice. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add whatever meat you have left over (lamb is classic, but anything will do) and some sultanas or raisins. Simmer for 15 minutes. Check the rice is cooked. Add more stock and cook a little longer if need be. It should end up moist, but not soupy. Season. Add a squeeze of lemon. If you have any green herbs or spring onions, sprinkle on top, along with some toasted almonds.  Serve with a blob of yoghurt.

Quick Lamb Souvlaki   - Using Masterfood Greek Seasoning, quickly fry up some Spanish Onions and add strips of left over lamb, sprinkle on Greek Seasoning and toss until reheated.  I add a couple of spoons of water to prevent meat drying out.    Quickly place it on a wrap with a bed of shredded lettuce, tomato, and Greek yoghurt or tzatziki.  Lunch!

Since im loving cumin seeds lately and there seems to be a lot of yoghurt being blobbed on the above recipes,  try making this yoghurt to go with all your lamb dishes.   Add a crushed garlic clove and 1/2 a teaspoon of cumin seed to 1 cup of Greek yoghurt.  Put it in fridge for an hour to let flavours develop.   Yum Yum

Have i made you hungry yet?  Have i convinced you to buy the next size up when purchasing a lamb roast so that you have leftovers?  

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