Shepherd's Pie
Eric's new favorite dish - he requested it for his birthday dinner :) It beat out our Chicken Pot Pie with Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits!
Serves 4 to 6.
You will need to use a shallow casserole dish with a 2- to 2 1/2 quart capacity, such as an 11 by 7-inch baking dish, an oval casserole, or a 9- to 10-inch deep-dish pie plate (carefully measure its volume first; some pie plates are not deep enough). The lamb dripping intensify the lamb flavor, but if you prefer a less intense lamb flavor you can substitute 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil for the reserved lamb drippings. To add a little color, sprinkle the dish with some minced parsley before serving.
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2 lbs ground lamb
2 medium onions, minced 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick salt 3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tsps) 1 tbsp tomato paste 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/4 cup dry red wine 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp dried rosemary 1.5 cup frozen peas, thawed Ground black pepper 2 lbs russet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and sliced 3/4 inch thick 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed |
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450°.
Cook the lamb in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink and the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Drain the lamb in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl to reserve drippings. Return 2 tablespoons of lamb drippings to the pot and heat over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the onion, carrots and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook until incorporated, about 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth and the wine, scraping up any browned bits, until the sauce is smooth. Stir in the reserved lamb, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and rosemary and cook until the mixture begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in the peas and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture into a 2 to 2 1/2 quart dish. Meanwhile, cover the potatoes by 1 inch of water in a large saucepan and add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender and a fork can be easily slipped into the center, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes, return them to the saucepan over low heat, and mash them to a smooth consistency. Stir in the butter and cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Dollop the mashed potatoes over the lamb filling and smooth into an even layer, making sure they attach to the edges of the casserole dish. (You should not see any filling.) Place the baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the edges are bubbling and the top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. |
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen The Best International Recipes
Notes:
Notes:
- The original recipe's ratio of filling to potatoes was off; I've increased the amount of lamb and veggies to make more filling. So far the same amount of sauce has been adequate. Thus, it may no longer fit into casserole dish they recommend.....