Shepard’s Pie

STORY

I don’t have a lot of St. Patrick’s Day-friendly recipes. I think the reason is that a lot of St. Patrick’s day recipes are too large to be single-friendly (at 3-5 lbs corned beef is just too big a meal). Or perhaps I’m just not inspired by the holiday that spawned green beer. (i have a bad history with green beer since I once added green food coloring to a boyfriend’s beer in celebration of his Irish heritage. He said it tasted bad. We broke up three months later. Coincidence? I think not!)

But I do have a two lamb recipes that I think would be perfect for the day: my Lamb and Barley Stew, for one, and now, my Shepard’s Pie.

I personally believe Shepard’s Pie is good just about any time, not just on St. Pat’s. And my Shepard’s pie incorporates leftovers from two of my favorite recipes: Fennel and Sweet Onion Whipped Potatoes, and my Lamb Stock.

Now, I’ve been told on numerous occasions that this is the best Shepard’s Pie that folks have “ever tasted. Ever!” I think it’s the sweetness of the potatoes, or the richness of flavor from using lamb stock instead of chicken or beef stock.

It is memorably delicious, and I suspect you’ll want to eat it not just when you’re drinking green beer, but all year-round.

Note: This recipe yields two servings. You can eat them both if you’re starving, or freeze one. It should keep for up to 3 months.

RECIPE

(If you are using leftover potatoes)

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: Active, 30 minutes Inactive, 35 minutes
• Total Time: ~1 hour, 20 minutes

(If you are cooking potatoes for this dish)

• Prep Time: 10 -15 minutes
• Cook Time: Active, 40 minutes Inactive, 35 minutes
• Total Time: ~1 hour, 40 minutes

TOOLS

• oven or toaster oven, pre-heated to 400°F (200°C)
• skillet or cast-iron casserole
• wooden spoon
• 2 petite pie dishes
• 1 silicon spatula
• baking tray lined with aluminum foil

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 lb of ground lamb
1/2 tsp sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tbsp of chopped carrots
1/2 cup lamb stock
1 tbsp of frozen peas
1 tbsp of frozen corn
~1 cup of Fennel and Sweet Onion Whipped Potatoes

METHOD

1. In a skillet or a cast-iron casserole, saute one chopped medium sized onion over medium-high heat.
2. Once onion is translucent, add 1/4 lb of ground lamb and cook lamb until browned.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste, and then pour 1/2 cup of lamb stock over lamb.
4. Once lamb stock is bubbling reduce heat to low, and add 1 tbsp of chopped carrots. Cook for 10 minutes, until carrots are tender.
5. Add 1 tbsp of frozen peas, and 1 tbsp of frozen carrots, and cook for about two more minutes.
6. Pour lamb mixture into 2 petite pie dishes.
7. Using a silicon spatula, spread ~1/2 cup of Fennel and Sweet Onion Whipped Potatoes over each pie dish being sure to cover the lamb completely and evenly.
8. Put pies on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil and place in an oven pre-heated to 400°F (200°C).
9. Bake pies for ~45 minutes or until potatoes become a nice golden brown crust.
10. Remove from oven and then cool…and of course eat.