Slow-Cooked Lamb Sandwich

The perfect vehicle for those slow cooked lamb leftovers

I write this sitting in a different airport this week, occasionally glancing up at the departures' board because easyJet have been giving me mixed messages all morning and afternoon. First the flight was delayed by 2 hours, then by 20 minutes, then by 50. I mean, talk about hot and cold. So, while I wait for the airline to work out what it wants, I will make myself comfortable and tell you all about this lamb sandwich.

With two flights in a week, there have been a couple of packed lunches and dinners, namely sandwiches wrapped in cling film and then a top layer of foil because the last time I relied on cling film alone, cheese went everywhere. I just took my last bite of tuna roll, the whole thing having disappeared in 30 seconds, a massacre if ever there was one because I was really hungry. Think lion meets antelope.

Much the same happened for my flight last week too. As it was quite a big sandwich, I thought I'd eat half before the flight, the other half on the train when I landed in London. Oh what sweet innocence. I clearly wasn't ready for this lamb sandwich.

On Monday I shared a recipe with you for slow cooked spiced lamb shoulder, one I implore you try for your Sunday roast this weekend. Or Saturday roast. Or heck make it today! The day of the week shouldn't matter when there is meltingly tender lamb, sticky with marinade, and salsa verde to spoon on top.

Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder with Ras El Hanout

We ate the slow cooked lamb last Friday, then had to lie on the sofa for a while afterwards. When I was finally conscious, I cut up thin slices of lamb and layered them in a baguette for me to take on my evening flight.

In that sandwich, I bundled some strips of red pepper for crunch, then more of the roast's almond salsa verde (recipe with the lamb recipe), a smear of homemade wholegrain mayo, and labneh (strained Greek yoghurt). It was a bit oily and messy even before it was wrapped in all that cling film and foil, so you can imagine the mess when I ripped into it at the airport, my fingers greasy, its innards spilling onto my open laptop. Please note, don't eat this around anything valuable.

With that first cautious bite, I still believed there'd be another half to enjoy later. Then, there was bite two and hopes for the future, all my manners, attached themselves to a plane taking off. A woman sat next to me with a jovial 'Bonsoir' and, seeing me attack that lamb baguette, added an appropriate 'Bon appetite!’ 'Merci,’ I managed to stutter out, mouth bulging with bread and lamb. At least I had some manners left.

Three sauces in one sandwich may seem excessive but I beg to differ: the labneh and mayo work to unify the bread and lamb, sticking them together in a sandwich collage. The salsa verde, well that's a bit of window dressing, but it's so briny, salty and oily, the flavours meld with the soft lamb and seep into the bread. Expect drippage.

So to assemble this slow-cooked lamb baguette, you will need:

• 1 slow-cooked lamb (stating the obvious here), sliced thinly

• A few strips of red pepper, as much or as little as you want

• A spoonful of Greek yoghurt or labneh for the sandwich’s top half

• A spoonful of wholegrain mayo (recipe below) for the bottom half

• A spoonful of almond salsa verde to garnish (recipe with the lamb - I write this on my phone as the airport WiFi is currently not cooperating, and attaching another link here is frustratingly out the realms of my phone's capabilities right now, apologies)

*A spoonful is quite vague but it depends on the size of your baguette

Ideally, eat this lamb sandwich in the privacy of your own home, but if not, then wherever you are, please don't hold back. Eat as though no one's watching.

Wholegrain Mayo

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Salt

• 150ml flavourless oil

• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

• 1 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Place the egg yolk in a bowl and add the Dijon mustard and a pinch of salt.

2. Using a jug, very slowly and carefully pour in a constant trickle of oil as you whisk the egg yolk. You could use one prong of an electric whisk or just a fork. The bowl will want to move as you whisk so either hold it steady on top of a tea towel or ask someone nice to hold it for you.

3. The mayo will thicken and lighten as it emulsifies with the oil. If it's poured in too quickly, it might split and appear runny. If so, get a fresh bowl and egg yolk, then slowly pour the split mayo into the new yolk as you whisk. Finish with the rest of the oil.

4. Once all the oil is mixed in, add the wholegrain mustard, lemon or vinegar, and some salt to taste. Keep in the fridge and spread on baguette or in this sandwich.