Shepherd’s Pie

A traditional favourite, this lamb recipe is a great celebration if you don't often eat red meat. The best way to cook it is to enjoy a roast lamb on a Sunday, and to use the leftover meat for a mid-week recipe which is relatively quick and easy to produce. Good served in smaller individual dishes or in one massive one, this healthy Shepherd's Pie will taste especially delicious served with some lovely steamed and minted peas and greens.

Ingredients

  • Leftover Roast Lamb
  • 1 or 2 Onions
  • 2 or 3 Carrots
  • 1 Stick Celery
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • Rosemary
  • Mint
  • Oregano
  • Splash of Sherry
  • Chicken or Veg Stock
  • 3 or 4 Potatoes

[To roast the Lamb Shoulder (see smaller imge), I pre-heated the oven to 200˚c - inserted a few cloves of sliced Garlic and some Anchovies into holes I carefully sliced into the meat - coated the joint with a mix of Breadcrumbs, crushed Garlic, very finely chopped Rosemary, Oregano, Parsley and Thyme, Salt & Pepper and a small drizzle of Olive Oil - cooked the joint for 20 minutes - turned the heat down to 175˚c and cooked it for another 2 or 3 hours, gently covered in foil to stop the crust burning.  When cooked, the meat was super tender and perfect for serving with Roast Potatoes and Red Cabbage. It also yielded plenty of leftovers for the Shepherd's Pie to follow...]

Bake your Potatoes in the oven at 220˚c for an hour, wrapped in foil (make extra – leftover mash is really useful…)

Chop half a leftover roasted Lamb shoulder (or any other cut, leg or breast etc).  Leave the pieces chunky

Finely chop the Onions, Carrots and Celery

Crush the Garlic cloves and finely chop the washed Herbs (a few sprigs of fresh Rosemary, Oregano and Mint would be best together. Any of these would work but a big handful of chopped Mint is especially useful in this recipe)

Heat a large pan with some Olive Oil and add the chopped vegetables, a good pinch of Salt and a Bay Leaf or two.  Fry gently for 15 – 25 minutes stirring regularly

When the veg are soft and sweet, add the crushed Garlic and the chopped Herbs and cook for a few minutes

Add a splash of Sherry and cook off…  Add the chopped Lamb and season with Pepper

Now add 500ml or so of Chicken or Veg Stock.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes or until thickened.  Taste and season if necessary.  Remove the Bay Leaves

Peel and mash the Baked Potatoes (or even better, push them through a ricer)

Make up the Shepherd’s Pies, with meat on the bottom and the mash gently piled on top.  Drizzle very lightly with Olive Oil and bake for 25 mins or until golden brown on top

Delicious served with steamed, minted peas – or with a coleslaw

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