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Lamb neck shepherd’s pie

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for lamb neck shepherd’s pie.

  • 45 mins preparation
  • 1 hr 45 mins cooking
  • Serves 8
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This hearty shepherd's pie is serious comfort food. You can make and assemble the pie several hours before baking it, making it the perfect do-ahead dish. Serve it with a piquant tomato relish for extra bite.

Ingredients

  • 90 ml olive oil
  • 2 each onions, carrots and celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1.5 kg lamb neck, finely diced
  • 300 ml stout
  • 750 ml beef stock (3 cups)
  • 60 ml tomato purée (¼ cup)
  • 60 ml Worcestershire sauce (¼ cup)
  • 1½ tbsp hot English mustard
  • 1½ tbsp thyme
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 75 gm plain flour (½ cup)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten, for eggwash
Potato crust
  • 1.2 kg floury potatoes, such as Sebago, coarsely chopped
  • 200 ml pouring cream
  • 60 gm butter, coarsely chopped, plus extra, melted, to serve
  • 1 tbsp hot English mustard

Method

  • 1
    Heat 30ml oil in a casserole over medium-high heat, add vegetables and garlic and stir occasionally until very tender (8-10 minutes).
  • 2
    Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over high heat, add lamb in batches and stir occasionally until browned (2-3 minutes). Add to vegetables with stout and cook until reduced by half (2-3 minutes). Add stock, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and herbs, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until meat is very tender (45 minutes-1 hour).
  • 3
    Combine flour and 120ml cold water in a bowl and mix to a smooth paste, gradually add to lamb mixture, stirring until slightly thickened (2-3 minutes). Season to taste, then transfer to a 1.6-litre ovenproof dish, filling to 1cm below rim, and set aside.
  • 4
    Meanwhile, for potato crust, preheat oven to 180C. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover completely with cold water, bring to the boil over high heat and cook until tender (10-15 minutes). Drain, return to pan and mash with a fork. Bring cream and butter to the simmer in a small saucepan, add to potato, mash until very smooth, stir in mustard and season to taste. Pile on top of lamb mixture, ensuring it's completely covered, brush with eggwash then bake until and golden (15-20 minutes). Serve hot with mushy peas.

Notes

Drink Suggestion: A bottle of claret. Or Burgundy. Drink suggestion by Max Allen.