On the Lam(b)

Hello readers! Apologies for trying to be punny: I've been MIA for the past few weeks because life got pretty busy there for a bit! In the past month, I went to a family reunion, visited my grandparents at their cottage, and did a big hiking trip in Algonquin, all while working and organizing a big move to a new house! Oh, the joys of summer. Needless to say, I didn't make much time for writing, but I'm back and excited to tell you all about this delicious recipe for Lamb Tourtiere that I rustled up last month when my parents came for a visit.

When you have an extra pie crust kicking around in the freezer, tourtiere is a great (and quick) way to use it while providing a delicious family meal. The seasonings and spices are key, here-- meat pie isn't delicious unless you season it amply. And if you try it out, please be experimental and feel free to depart from the recipe, as that is what tourtiere is meant to be.

Tourtiere is traditionally made with ground pork, but as usual, I just used what I had on hand.

For the crust, I simply used the reliable old 2 crust recipe that has been on the Crisco box since I was a kid. I've tried other methods, and some were great, but those were usually the ones involving lard and sour cream and other not-so-healthy ingredients. Plus, Crisco is cheaper.

For the stuffing, I used an assortment of fresh garden delights and a few items from the pantry: onions, garlic, celery, garlic scapes, and green onions, as well as some herbs and spices including parsley, sage, thyme, a bit of [unnecessary] oregano, cinnamon, savory, and cloves. Finally, you'll want to boil some potatoes to hold it all together.


Making the stuffing is as easy as mixing all of this together. Cook the meat in beef or vegetable stock for a bit of extra flavour, and add the onions, celery and garlic when it's almost cooked through. After a few minutes, stir in the herbs and spices, and additional salt and pepper to taste. When it's looking like you might want to forget the crust and shovel it into your mouth right now, resist the urge, stir it all together with the boiled potatoes, and fill the pie crust.

Now here's where you can get a bit creative/unique. Some people are really into decorating their pie crusts and making them look amazing. I am not really the decorative type, at least not with food. I mean, food staging is fine, but I don't think I would go so far as cutting mini leaves out of the pastry and making a picture on top. But, stranger things have happened, and maybe when I have more spare time I'll try it out. In the mean time, I just beat and egg and brush it over the crust to make it shiny and appetizing.
Of course, I don't have a picture of the finished product, but you get the idea.

And that's all there is to it!

I love trying new things, especially in terms of food. So feel free to add some crazy things to this recipe to make it your own. For some reason, curry comes to mind.

Until next time, keep fit, and have fun!