Classic Irish shepherd’s pie

BT Toronto | posted Monday, Dec 14th, 2015

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Classic Irish shepherd’s pie

Ingredients:

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

For topping

• Russet Potatoes 1.5kg
• Fresh Parsley – leaves stripped and fine chop 3pc
• Whole Milk 500ml
• Unsalted Butter 3tbsp
• Bay Leaves 3pc
• Flaked Sea Salt taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper taste

Method:

1. Begin with a heavy bottom pan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat
2. Add lamb and rosemary, season with salt and pepper, sauté, turning occasionally until golden brown, remove meat
3. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, sauté until golden brown
4. Move vegetables to one side of pan, add tomato paste to the bottom, sauté until browned
5. Deglaze pan with wine, reduce until almost dry, add lamb, tomatoes, and stock
6. Reduce heat to low, continue to reduce until rich consistency, check seasoning, remove from heat, add peas
7. Position the rack in the middle of the oven, preheat convection oven to 375°F (190°C)
8. Drop large dollops of potato mixture over the meat mixture evenly with lots of hills and valleys
9. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisp on top, filling bubbling at edge
10. Begin with potatoes in a large stock pot covered with cold water, seasoned with salt and bay leaves
11. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cook until potatoes are knife tender, remove, cool slightly, peel, discard bay leaves
12. Pass potatoes through a ricer or food mill into stockpot, add butter, milk, and parsley, fold together until smooth
13. Adjust consistency by adding more milk if necessary, season with salt and pepper