This story is not really about the recipe, it's about a pound of lamb!

In 1995, we appeared in one of many “Six O’clock Survival” features in the Calgary Herald. We cooked our way to “instant success” with a number of great meals with photos.

This favorite started as:

We’re back! Here’s a great dinner that we make together. It’s a little exotic, but Arthur chose this for his birthday dinner earlier this week.

We suppose that living in Detroit for 12 years, with its large Greek and Lebanese population, had its effect on us, and Mid-eastern food became an important part of our diet. Here’s a recipe that we love to make and it can be done in 30 minutes or less.

My recipe is based on many year’s of eating this at Joe Zania’s, Gnome Restaurant in Detroit, and this was my take on it. I’m sure Joe never used soy sauce in his life!

Ground Lamb and Pine Nuts Over Hummus

Basic Hummus Recipe

1 can chick peas (19 oz.)
5 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon minced garlic (2 to 3 cloves)
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until almost smooth.

3/4 lb. ground lamb
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Brown lamb in a frying pan in oil with all listed ingredients.

1/2 package pine nuts (50g)

Brown pine nuts in oven or toaster oven at 400 degrees F, for about 10-15 minutes, checking every 5 min.

Assemble on serving plate. Spread hommus on plate, cover with lamb mixture, top with browned pine nuts. Serve with warmed pitas and a Greek or tossed salad.

Serves 4.

This recipe later appeared in a cook book as Arthur's Birthday Dinner. But this story is not really about the recipe, it’s about a pound of lamb!

Last Saturday, my wife and I went to the grocery store in the afternoon. While wandering through the meat department, I spied ground lamb on sale, usually $8.49 per 500mg (a bit over a pound) on sale for $6.00. This was still much higher than it should have been (my thoughts), but it was $1.50 in savings.

I remembered the Ground Lamb, Pine Nuts and Hummus recipe and thought how we haven’t made that for dinner in a year. Since both girls are home for the summer, we should make it! My wife agreed and we put it in the cart. The pine nuts were $45 a pound but we only needed a little!

At the checkout I checked the receipt and it rang in at $8.49.

I couldn’t argue with the cashier because he can only do what the machine says, so off I went to customer service, who were busy with elderly lottery players. I decided to wait while they painstakingly chose numbers. Why should I rush their fading dream?

I got to the counter and explained my plight. I was questioned a bit, and an official store person called a meat department person to go and check out my story, as if I’d make this up for my $1.50!

A new person of authority appeared and was consulted. She asked the official store person questions, and after determining I was correct, she said, “You get it for free!” and she then handed me $8.49!

I will enjoy my Ground Lamb and Pine Nuts Over Hummus more than ever!