This wholesome Shepherd’s Pie recipe is the perfect comfort food! With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, you must give this Shepherd’s Pie a try. It is sure to be added to your favourite recipes!
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1½ kgs Ground Lamb
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 (175 grams /1 cup) White Onion, finely chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup (45 grams) All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Thyme, chopped
- 2 tsp Rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tbsp (45 Grams) Tomato Pureé
- ½ cup (4oz) Red Wine
- 1 cup (8oz) Chicken Broth
- 2 cups Frozen Veggies
For the Topping
- 1½ kgs Russet/Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 2 tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 2 tbsp Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
- ½ tsp Pepper
Method
- Peel, wash, and cut the potatoes into medium size cubes. Put them in a pot, and add water till the water level is about an inch above the potatoes. Add salt, give it a stir, then place the pot on the stove on medium heat till the potatoes are cooked and a knife when inserted into the potatoes slips in with ease.
- While the potatoes cook, in another pot on medium heat add a little oil and the ground lamb. Use the spoon and break up the ground lamb. Season it with salt and pepper and cook till the fat renders and dries off and the ground meat begins to get some colour.
- Now toss in the onion, garlic, and sauteé until the onion turns translucent, the garlic loses its raw flavour and the ground lamb has got a brown colour.
- Once the meat has browned and some fond has formed at the bottom of the pot, toss in the all-purpose flour and saute for about two to three minutes.
- Season the ground lamb with rosemary, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Give the ground lamb a mix till all the flavours combine.
- Add red wine to deglaze the pot and give it a stir. Now pour in the chicken broth and saute till the ground meat turns fragrant and all the fond from the bottom of the pot has got picked up.
- Toss in the frozen veggies, and give it a stir so that the veggies get distributed in the ground lamb. Let it cook for about a minute and then take it off the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.
- When the potatoes are cooked, drain out the water and pass the potatoes through a ricer to get a smooth mash. You can even do this with a potato masher or a fork.
- To the mashed potato add unsalted butter, egg yolks, heavy cream, white cheddar cheese, and season with pepper. Give it a mix to combine all the ingredients together to get a delicious topping for the pie.
- To assemble the shepherd’s pie, take a 9”x13” inch baking dish and place the cooked ground lamb at the bottom. Using a spoon flatten it down firmly at the bottom of the dish.
- Now using a trigger-release ice-cream scoop or a spoon, distribute the potato mash equally on top of the ground lamb in the baking dish.
- Using a spatula spread the potato mash all over the top of the pie and then using a fork create an uneven texture on the top. This will help to give an added texture and a crispy pie top.
- Now sprinkle on a generous helping of the grated white cheddar cheese on the top.
- Place the pie in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Switch off the oven and turn on to broil on high for about 3-4 minutes keeping a close eye on it. As soon as the pie turns a lovely golden brown on the top, take it out of the oven, and garnish it with some thyme. Allow the pie to rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it.
