The key to a great Shepherd's pie is the rich filling, achieved by browning the lamb mince and adding diced vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Here's my recipe for Shepherd's pie.
Category
Dinner
Servings
4-6
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
1 hour
The key to a great Shepherd's pie is the rich filling, achieved by browning the lamb mince and adding diced vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Here's my recipe for Shepherd's pie.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1kg lamb mince
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, peeled, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (puree)
- 3 sprigs rosemary, leaves chopped
- sea salt, to taste
- 1½ tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
- 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1kg Sebago potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
- 100g butter, diced
- ⅓ cup (80ml) milk
- ½ cup (30g) panko breadcrumbs
- ⅔ cup (80g) grated cheddar cheese
Directions
Heat half the oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Cook lamb in batches, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon, until well browned. Set aside.
- Heat remaining oil in a large deep frying pan on medium. Cook onion and carrot, stirring, for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cook for a further minute. Stir in tomato paste and rosemary, cook for 2 minutes, season with salt. Sprinkle the flour over vegetables and stir until well mixed.
- Add lamb to pan, stirring to combine. Stir in Worcestershire and bay leaves, then add stock. Bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape off any bits on the base of the pan.
- Stir in the stock cube, then cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
- Place potatoes in a large saucepan of cold salted water. Place over medium high heat and cook for 35 minutes, until fork tender. Drain well in a colander, then place the colander back over the hot saucepan to dry out potatoes.
- Mash potatoes or push through a ricer into a large bowl. Stir in butter and milk, season with salt and mix until very smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan forced (356°F).
- Remove bay leaves from lamb mixture and discard, then stir in the peas. Transfer mixture to a 2.5L (2.65 Qrt) capacity oven dish.
- Spoon mash over lamb mixture, completely covering top. Sprinkle top with panko, then cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes, with a tray underneath to catch any drips.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
