Name: A lamb and cauliflower “shepherd’s pie”
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1.2 kg boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3cm pieces; 1 red onion, diced; 1 garlic clove, sliced; 4 cardamom pods, bruised; 1 tsp fennel seeds, coarsely ground; 1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely ground; 1 cinnamon quill, broken in half; 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock; 400 gm canned tomato polpa or crushed tomatoes; Cauliflower topping; 1 small cauliflower (about 1kg), florets coarsely chopped; 60 ml (¼ cup) pouring cream, warmed; 40 gm butter; 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan

A lamb and cauliflower “shepherd’s pie”

This fresh take on the shepherd's pie has slowly braised lamb shoulder down below, and a creamy cauliflower "mash" up top.

Serves 6

Prep

20M

Cook

Total

2H 20M

A fresh take on shepherd’s pie that’s fragrant with coriander and cinnamon and capped with a creamy yet light cauliflower crust.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1.2 kg boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3cm pieces

1 red onion, diced

1 garlic clove, sliced

4 cardamom pods, bruised

1 tsp fennel seeds, coarsely ground

1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely ground

1 cinnamon quill, broken in half

500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock

400 gm canned tomato polpa or crushed tomatoes

Cauliflower topping

1 small cauliflower (about 1kg), florets coarsely chopped

60 ml (¼ cup) pouring cream, warmed

40 gm butter

2 tbsp finely grated parmesan

Method

1.Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet or frying pan over high heat. Season lamb and cook in batches, turning occasionally, until browned (3-4 minutes). Transfer to a casserole and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, add onion and garlic to skillet, and cook, stirring, until softened (4-5 minutes). Add spices, stir until fragrant (1 minute), deglaze pan with 200ml water, scraping base of pan, then transfer to casserole with stock and polpa and season to taste. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer until lamb is tender (11/4-11/2 hours). Remove lamb from sauce, cool briefly, and coarsely shred with two forks.

2.Reduce sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened (20-25 minutes). Remove from heat and return lamb to casserole.

3.For cauliflower topping, cook cauliflower in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender (8-10 minutes). Drain, and return to pan over medium heat until water evaporates (1 minute). Add cream and half the butter and blend with a hand-held blender until smooth. Season to taste.

4.Preheat oven to 220°C. Transfer lamb mixture to a 1.5-litre baking dish, spoon over cauliflower topping, dot with remaining butter, scatter with parmesan and bake until golden and bubbling (20-30 minutes). Serve hot.

Styling by Lisa Featherby

Styling by Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd