Classic Irish Shepherd's Pie

Classic Irish Shepherd's Pie

Servings: 8

Classic Irish Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

Filling

  • 1kg Lamb Shoulder or Chuck Beef – ground
  • 1 cup (250ml) Carrots – peeled and paysanne (medium dice)
  • 1 cup (250ml ) Celery – peeled and paysanne (medium dice)
  • 1 cup (250ml ) Onions – peeled and paysanne (medium dice)
  • 2 cup (500ml) Roma Tomatoes – peeled and medium dice
  • 1 cup (250ml) Fresh or Frozen Peas
  • 3 tbsp. (45 ml) Tomato Paste
  • 3 Garlic Cloves – peeled and fine chop
  • 2 Fresh sprigs of Rosemary – stripped and fine chop
  • 1 cup (250ml) Beef Stock
  • 1 cup (250ml)Red Wine
  • 1 tbsp. (15ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp. (15ml) Unsalted Butter
  • Flaked Sea Salt to taste
  • Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste

Toppings

  • 1.5kg Russet Potatoes
  • 3 Fresh Parsley leaves – stripped and fine chop
  • 2 cups (500ml) Whole Milk
  • 3 tbsp. (45ml) Unsalted Butter
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • Flaked Sea Salt to taste
  • Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste

Directions:

Filling

Begin with a heavy bottom pan or a Dutch Oven with Cover - Blue, heat oil over medium-high heat

Add lamb and rosemary, season with salt and pepper, sauté, turning occasionally until golden brown, remove meat

Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, sauté until golden brown

Move vegetables to one side of pan, add tomato paste to the bottom, sauté until browned

Deglaze pan with wine, reduce until almost dry, add lamb, tomatoes, and stock

Reduce heat to low, continue to reduce until rich consistency, check seasoning, remove from heat, add peas

Position the rack in the middle of the oven, preheat convection oven to 375°F (190°C)

Drop large dollops of potato mixture over the meat mixture evenly with lots of hills and valleys

Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisp on top, filling bubbling at edges


Toppings

Begin with potatoes in a large stock pot covered with cold water, seasoned with salt and bay leaves

Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cook until potatoes are knife tender, remove, cool slightly, peel, discard bay leaves

Pass potatoes through a ricer or food mill into stockpot, add butter, milk, and parsley, fold together until smooth

Adjust consistency by adding more milk if necessary, season with salt and pepper