Lamb Patties with Mustard-Wine Sauce

One of the family’s favorite meals is lamb patties with a mustard-wine sauce. It is fast and simple to make but very tasty. We usually serve it with braised escarole and potatoes. Since I am trying to eliminate carbs in my diet, I don’t use the potato anymore. I did include the potatoes in the recipe for folks with better glucose tolerance than me. It does make it a complete meal. Both recipes are from the March 1982 issue of Cuisine magazine and we have been making it for that many years. This photo will not win me a job as a food photographer.

Lamb Patties with Mustard-Wine Sauce

•    1-1 ½ lbs ground lamb
•    ¼ tsp. salt
•    2 T Olive oil
•    2 T minced shallots
•    1/3 c dry red wine
•    1/3 c beef stock ( or use Bovril or Herb Ox beef stock concentrate diluted with water)
•    2 tsp. Dijon mustard
•    1 T butter

1.    Divide meat and shape into 4 patties each 1 ½ in thick. Keep at room temperature.
2.    Heat oil in skillet. Fry patties until red juices appear on top surface (about 12 min.). Turn patties and fry about 8 min more.
3.    Remove patties and keep warm. Drain off fat, leaving about 1 T in pan.
4.    Add shallots to pan and cook 2 min. Add wine, broth and mustard to pan, stirring to dissolve any brown bits. Bring to simmer, reduce by half. Remove from heat, stir in butter.
5.    Serve over lamb patties on warm plates, with sautéed escarole and potatoes.
The following recipe was my first experience with escarole. My dad used to grow endive, a related plant, which we used in salads with a hot bacon dressing. Escarole seemed more like a lettuce but tough and a little bitter. But just braise it with butter and garlic and it softens and sweetens and makes a great side dish. Mash in a few boiled potatoes and it becomes a substantial dish.

Escarole with Potatoes

•    4 medium potatoes (about 1 ¼ lbs.)
•    1 tsp. salt
•    5 T butter
•    1 T diced onion
•    1 clove garlic, crushed
•    ½ head escarole, washed, drained and torn into 2” pieces

1.    Boil whole potatoes and ½ tsp. salt about 30 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside
2.    In a large skillet, heat the butter.  When foam in pan subsides, add onion and the garlic clove and cook until tender.
3.    Add escarole to pan, cover and turn down heat to low. Cook until escarole is tender. Uncover and remove the garlic clove.
4.    Remove peel from cooked potatoes, cut into chunks and add to skillet. Mash potatoes and escarole together with the back of a form. Add salt and pepper to taste.