Shepherd's Pie: First, Acquire a Shepherd

The British do love meat pies. There are Cornish Pasties, Steak and Kidney Pies, Pork Pies, Pot Pies, and Shepherd’s Pie. My theory for their popularity is the atrocious British weather. A good hearty meat pie is just the thing to warm a body’s bones on a cold, drizzly evening after a long day spent herding sheep -- which brings me to Shepherd's Pie.

Because the use of actual shepherds in the pie is frowned upon (note the apostrophe, and people say grammar doesn’t matter) it is traditionally made with lamb or mutton (when made using beef it’s properly called a Cottage Pie). The pie is distinguished by the use of mashed potatoes as a topping in lieu of pastry.

We had a proper English day last week -- cold, rainy, bleak -- and I happened to have some lamb in the freezer. In fact, I had everything I needed so I didn’t have to go out in the nastiness. The only thing I didn’t have was a fireplace. Having supper in front of a fire would have been perfect.

Shepherd’s Pie
(Adapted from a recipe in American Classics by Cooks Illustrated)
Serves 4

3 lb lamb -- cut into 1/2” cubes
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 ea md. onions -- diced
2 ea carrots -- cut into 1/4" slices
1 clove garlic -- minced
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 c chicken broth
1/4 c red wine
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 c peas -- thawed, if frozen
2 lb Yukon gold potatoes -- peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter -- softened
1/4 c whole milk
black pepper

Season lamb with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown lamb in 2 batches -- adding a bit more oil between batches if needed. Reserve meat on a plate.

Add a tablespoon of oil to skillet and reduce heat to medium. Sauté onions and carrots until onions are translucent and carrots are tender. Stir in flour, tomato paste, garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook, stirring, for another 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Increase heat to high, bring just to a boil then reduce the heat to low, partially cover skillet, and simmer for 25 minutes until lamb is tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Heat oven to 400F.

In the meantime, boil potatoes until tender, drain, and add butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Mash coarsely.

Stir peas into meat mixture then pour into a baking dish. Spoon mashed potatoes over the top and gently spread to completely cover and seal edges. Place on a center rack in the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until top begins to brown.

 

Kevin Weeks is a Gather food correspondent (Paisano), personal chef, cooking teacher, and writer in Knoxville, Tennessee who spends too many hours on his feet, cooking. "Paisano" is a column focused on peasant dishes from around the world. To read more of Kevin's writings or connect to him click here. His blog,Seriously Good, is read by 75,000 cooks a month and in addition he writes a weekly column forSpot-On.