How do Greeks enjoy leftovers? Two words: french fries. From my experience, Greeks have an uncanny habit of serving french fries with almost anything—at any time of day, alongside any dish, or simply dipped in mayonnaise. In my family, I rarely saw Mama serve leftover meat without a generous side of fries. Often the leftovers felt more like an accompaniment, while the fries took center stage. Leftovers from meatballs to beef patties, chops to roasts to chicken, nearly always find their way onto the plate beside fried potatoes. It’s no wonder Greek kids are so devoted to their mamas!
Recently I bought an overly large chuck roast when I made Beef with Green Beans, but Zoe suggested cooking the whole roast and freezing the extra slices to serve later with french fries. Good idea—so that’s what I did.
Reheating leftover roast is forgiving. You can warm it gently on the stovetop over low heat—especially handy if there’s a bit of sauce to loosen up. The oven also works well for even reheating, and the microwave is a quick option when time is short. I stirred some frozen peas into this batch because I can’t face meat and potatoes without a touch of green. Zoe was skeptical at first, then reminded me that we do make beef with peas, so it actually made sense. And no, I didn’t suggest adding basil!