I know it’s the middle of August, peak of summer, and with the oppressive heat all around us, of all things, why a shepherd’s pie? My family has been thriving on summery light food for days now and we have been starting to crave something really hearty and comforting. Not that we haven’t had any comforting meals lately, maybe it’s just that we were craving for some plain old meat and potatoes dinner. And for me this shepherd’s pie fits all the bills to meet those cravings.
Succulent meat stew topped with cheesy potatoes, that’s how I envision a shepherd’s pie. This one here is my re-defined version of the classic Irish meat and potato pie. Traditionally, shepherd’s pie has ground red meat cooked in a gravy or sauce and topped with a layer of mashed potatoes before it is baked. In this version, chunks of meat are oven braised in a rich wine based sauce, then topped with cheesy garlic mashed potatoes and baked until the potatoes get cheesy and crusty. This is cosy, comfort and luscious all thrown into one pot. There, I said it, it’s a one pot meal too. Well almost, if you don’t take into account the pot where you cook and mash the potatoes.
I have used lamb meat in this pie but if lamb is not your thing, use pork or beef. Sometimes when I want to keep it lean, I use ground chicken or turkey. If you don’t cook with wine, leave it out. But if you do, I would highly recommend it. Also switch around the herbs according to your meat of choice. For example, if you are using ground turkey, sage and parsley would go really well with it. This pie is just a technique, once you get it down then you can play around with your ingredients.
I have used water instead of stock in the meat stew. I know stock adds flavor to the sauce, but I don’t mind using water. The herbs, wine and other seasonings seem to compensate for it. Also braising the lamb for more than an hour releases all the juices and flavors in the water creating a stock in itself and reducing to a silky gravy.
Ingredients
| Meat filling | |
|---|---|
 | 3 pound boneless lamb shoulder or leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes |
| 2 teaspoon salt |
| ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper |
| 3 tablespoon olive oil |
| 1 tablespoon butter |
| 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour |
| 1 tablespoon onion powder |
| 1 bayleaf |
| 1 cup diced onion |
| 2 tablespoon chopped garlic |
| ½ cup dry white wine |
| 1 ½ tablespoon tomato paste |
| 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce |
| 2 tablespoon minced fresh mint |
| 1 cup peas |
| 1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary |
| 2 cups water |
| Mashed potato topping | |
|---|---|
| 2 pound russet (baking) potatoes |
| 1 garlic clove |
| ½ cup heavy cream |
| 2 tablespoon unsalted butter |
| 1 teaspoon salt |
| ¼ teaspoon black pepper |
| 1 ½ cup cheddar cheese |
Special equipment: A wide 3-quart enameled cast iron skillet that can go from the stove top to the oven.
Instructions
| Meat Filling | |
|---|---|
| Put a rack in middle of oven and and preheat oven to 350 degree F |
| Pat lamb dry. Sprinkle salt, pepper, onion powder, 5 tablespoon flour and coat the lamb with the flour and seasonings |
| Heat 3 tablespoon olive oil in a cast-iron pot or skillet at moderately high heat and brown the lamb. Turn the meat occasionally, this should take about 5 to 6 minutes |
| Transfer browned lamb to a plate |
| Add bayleaf, onion and garlic to the pan and saute for about 2 minutes |
| Return the meat to the pot and add tomato paste and worcestershire sauce |
| Add wine, you’ll notice the wine will deglaze the pot taking out all the brown bits from the bottom |
| Add 2 cups of water and fresh herbs. Bring to a simmer over moderately high heat, then remove from heat |
| Cover pot with lid or foil, transfer to the oven, and braise, stirring once or twice, until the lamb is tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours. |
| Remove from oven and return it to stove top on moderately low heat |
| Add the peas |
| To thicken the sauce make something called a beurre manie, which is basically a paste made of butter and flour. Make the paste with 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon flour |
| Whisk in the beurre manie bit by bit in the stew |
| Simmer the pot on low heat, until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes |
| Mashed potato topping | |
|---|---|
| Peel and quarter potatoes |
| In a 4-quart heavy pot, put the potatoes, 1 garlic clove and add water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch |
| Simmer the potatoes uncovered, until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes |
| Remove from heat and drain the water from the potatoes |
| Return the pot with potatoes and garlic to the stove top over low heat |
| Add butter, cream, salt, pepper and mash the potatoes as the butter is melted and all the cream is incorporated in the potatoes |
| Add the cheese |
| Assembling and broiling the pie | |
|---|---|
| Preheat broiler |
| Spoon potatoes over lamb and spread evenly with a fork, making a pattern with tines |
| Broil until top is golden, about 5 minutes |
| Keep an eye on it, take out the shepherd’s pie as soon as the top gets brown and crusty |
| Serve warm |
Inspiration: Cravings for meat and potatoes
