Shepherds Pie

Sorry. Video is not available for this recipe.
This recipe pre-dates my 5 Ingredients philosophy.

Shepherds Pie

From Stonesoup

I’ve never understood why a pie made with ground beef is called a ‘cottage pie’. Why not ‘cowboy pie’? So much more evocative. If you’d prefer your pie to be more cowboy and less sheep herder, feel free to exchange the lamb necks for four medium pieces of osso buco (beef shin) and the lamb mince for minced beef.

Anchovies might seem a little weird in a lamb dish but even if you aren’t normally a fan, I really recommend you try them. They melt away into the sauce giving the meaty flavours a wonderful boost without betraying any furry fishiness. Trust me.

Serves 8-10
2T olive oil
2 brown onions, peeled & chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled & finely sliced
1T ground coriander
1C red wine, or water
1/2C chicken stock
3 x 400g (14 oz) tins tomatoes, roughly chopped
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
2 bay leaves
3 lamb necks, cut crosswise thickly
1kg lamb mince (ground lamb)
1.4kg (3lb) potatoes, I used dutch creams, scrubbed
2 egg yolks
1/2 C whole milk
3 handfuls grated parmesan cheese
steamed green beans or green salad, to serve

1. Preheat your oven to 160C. In a large flame proof casserole dish, heat oil over a medium low heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and cover. Cook stirring every now and then until the veg are soft but not brown. Add garlic and ground coriander and cook for another few minutes.

2. Add wine or water, stock and tomatoes bring to a simmer. Pop in anchovies and bay leaves and lamb necks and bring back to a simmer. Transfer to the oven, uncovered and cook, turning the lamb every now and then for 3-4 hours or until the lamb is very tender and melting off the bones. Allow to cool, season, remove lamb bones and roughly shred meat, discarding any sinewy bits.

3. You could serve the lamb necks as a stew on a bed of mash or with some crusty bread or soft polenta, or you could freeze for a rainy day when you’re feeling a bit broke. Or you could use them straight away.

4. Heat a frying pan over a medium high heat and brown ground lamb in batches, adding each batch to the lamb stew as it is cooked. When all the lamb is brown, bring the stew to a simmer and cook until the stew is no longer watery, about 30 minutes. Season.

5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200C (400F). Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and cook until tender, 30 – 45 minutes. Drain and pass through a potato ricer and return the mashed spuds back to the pan. Stir through butter and 2 handfuls of the cheese and then gradually add the milk until the consistency is smooth but still stiff. Season.

6. To bring it all together, spread lamb over the base of a large ovenproof lasagna dish approx 35cm x 22cm (14in x 9in). Top with the potato to cover the whole dish. Sprinkle over the remaining handful cheese and bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbling at the sides.

7. Serve hot or a little cooler with steamed green beans or a salad passed separately.