Growing up, our shepherd's pie was always made with beef (cowherd's pie?). I was excited to try it out with lamb recently, and was very happy with the result.
I don't have many pics of the cooking process as I had company over, but it's about as basic as you can get - very simple to make. I have been looking for recipes with potatoes as I've had a good harvest and have lots to cook with (or will store some if I can figure out how to do it properly!).
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
Butter
Milk or Half-and-Half
1/2 large white onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced small
2 cloves garlic
6 oz field mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 lb minced lamb
1/2 cup chicken stock
Thyme
Rosemary
S&P
Peas
Boil the diced potatoes until tender. Mix with a couple of Tbsps butter and just enough milk or half-and-half cream to make a spreadable mashed potato. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Meanwhile, saute the onion, carrots and garlic in a Tbsp of olive oil about 10 minutes until onion is translucent and carrots are starting to soften (I always add a wee bit of stock if the pan is getting too hot just to keep the veggies from burning). Add mushrooms and saute until browned. Stir in the tomato paste, and cook for 2 minutes. Crumble in the lamb, and cook until browned.
Add the chicken stock, herbs and some S&P. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Check seasoning again.
Toss some peas into the lamb mixture (1 cup maybe ... I even told my friend to remind me to put the peas in and we both forgot) then into a casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes to allow all of the flavours to mingle (what looks like cheese is just the juices bubbling up and getting browned).
If storing a small quantity of potatoes, wrap them in paper or netting, or store them in baskets or hessian bags (burlap sacks). Keep them in a cool, dry place with good air circulation. Potatoes should never be refrigerated. Under ideal conditions, potatoes will keep for several months. Larger quantities of potatoes should be stored in a dry, well-aired, dark room with a temperature of 4–8°C (39–46°F). Potatoes are best placed in slatted crates to allow air to circulate. As potatoes are sensitive to pressure and impact, avoid simply pouring them into the crate; instead, let them roll in gently. Each layer of potatoes should not exceed 40 cm (16 inches) in height.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info ... will try to find slatted crates as that seems most suitable to my situation. When I have just a few, I keep them in cardboard egg cartons but that only works for smaller ones.
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