Leftovers… what do you do with them?

I actually love leftovers because they’re an opportunity to create something completely new. My rule is simple: use what I have from the day before and add something fresh.

Yesterday’s lamb shawarma, rosemary and garlic Brussels sprouts, and buttery mushrooms became today’s lunch—a big green salad with colorful vegetables, freshly made guacamole, and the leftover shawarma and roasted vegetables.

It came together in just a few minutes and was full of fresh flavors. In fact, I think I enjoyed it even more than yesterday’s meal.

Since we’re talking about shawarma, let me tell you a little about it.

Traditionally, shawarma is made by marinating lamb or chicken for several hours in a fragrant blend of spices, yogurt, garlic, and lemon juice before it is slowly roasted until beautifully tender. I only had about an hour and a half to prepare lunch, so I didn’t have the luxury of time. My lamb marinated for just 30 minutes before roasting in the oven for about an hour. The result was still wonderfully tender and full of flavor.

While shawarma isn’t traditionally a Bulgarian dish, to me it brings together two food traditions that feel surprisingly at home beside one another. Shawarma carries the warm, aromatic flavors of the Levant—cumin, coriander, garlic, lemon, and slow-roasted lamb—while Bulgarian cuisine shares its own long connection to Ottoman and Balkan cooking through grilled meats, yogurt, fresh salads, and richly seasoned dishes. Somehow, they feel like old friends around the same table.

If you’d like to try my simple oven-baked version, you’ll find the recipe here

Ingredients

• 800 g lamb or chicken thighs (deboned and skin removed)
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp salt or to taste

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine all the spices and the salt. Add the yogurt, olive oil, and lemon juice, then stir everything together until smooth and creamy.
   The yogurt helps tenderize the lamb, while the lemon juice and spices infuse it with the warm, aromatic flavors that make shawarma so irresistible.
2. Cut the lamb or chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, trimming away any excess fat or tough connective tissue.
3. Add the meat to the bowl with the marinade and gently stir until every piece is evenly coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. If you have more time, let it marinate for several hours or even overnight—the longer it marinates, the deeper and richer the flavors will become. That said, even a 30-minute marinade will give you a wonderfully flavorful shawarma.
4. While the meat is marinating, preheat the oven to 190°C (380°F). Remove the meat from the bowl, leaving the marinade clinging to each piece, and spread it in a single layer in a roasting pan. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, sealing it around the edges to trap the steam. This helps keep the meat tender and juicy as it cooks.
   Cook for 30 min
5. Remove the aluminum foil. By this point, the meat will have released its juices. Gently stir the meat to coat it in the flavorful juices, then return the pan to the oven and roast, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir the meat once or twice during this time to ensure it cooks and browns evenly.

Notes