“In like a lion and out like a lamb” is what we expect from March. This year it was a beast from beginning to end. With the onset of April, I am looking for something, anything, to help us switch gears and escape our winter rut. In a subtle attempt to mark a change, I walk past the ground sirloin I usually buy for the week for tacos or a quick Bolognese, and instead grab two pounds of organic ground lamb. I did not yet have a plan but was hopeful it would materialize in time for dinner. 
In fact, it did. The resulting dish features familiar notes of winter spice combined with the fresh flavors of Spring lamb. Spring Lamb Pie is my attempt to encourage Mother Nature to finally release the milder days of Spring.
The inspiration is moussaka, a Greek version of shepherd’s pie, with layers of ground lamb and eggplant topped with a béchamel white sauce. I don’t want the effort of prepping eggplant, which can include peeling, slicing, salting and setting aside. I’ve left myself no time for dinner so this needs to be fast and indeed it is.
Ground lamb is browned in a cast iron skillet with softened onions, then garlic. It’s the seasoning here that marks a change for us. I use nutmeg and allspice in pies and sweets but not often in savory dishes. With their use here, I’m attempting to recreate the aromas of slow roasted meat we encountered in the amazing gastropubs of London when we visited in the fall. Nutmeg, allspice and mace bring me back to a small dining room lit by a wood burning fire with rain falling steadily outside a thick window pane. These pungent spices help temper lamb’s subtle gaminess, which could potentially be off-putting to unsuspecting younger palates. 
While the meat browns, I stir together a quick white béchamel sauce, which merits a post of its own since a béchamel can be the foundation to an almost endless number of quick dinners. It consists only of melted butter and flour whisked together with milk then cooked over medium heat until thickened. It couldn’t be easier. For this dish, I stir in two beaten eggs and a handful of parmesan cheese. 
The béchamel tops the seasoned lamb then the entire pan goes into the oven until bubbly, about 20 minutes. The eggy béchamel puffs up in the oven and turns golden. Peas from the freezer are heated and quickly stirred together with fresh pea shoots from the farmer’s market. Dinner is on the table. 
As we look up from our plates the sun seems to peek out from behind the clouds and offer a glimmer of hope. The next day, it comes out in full force. I like to think it’s the Spring Lamb Pie but it is probably just time for a change. I don’t really care. I step outside and close my eyes to the sky. The sun’s rays warm my skin in a way I almost forgot it could. [amd-zlrecipe-recipe:26]