Name: Shepherd’s pie with lamb shoulder
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 230 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 onions, finely chopped; 1.6 kg boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 5cm pieces; 2 carrots, finely chopped; 35 gm (¼ cup) plain flour; 3 anchovy fillets; 60 ml (¼ cup) Worcestershire sauce; 600 gm floury potatoes; 200 ml milk; 40 gm butter, diced

Shepherd’s pie with lamb shoulder

We've ratcheted up the humble shepherd's pie, replacing the mince with shredded lamb shoulder. The anchovies are a natural salty match to the lamb and add seasoning rather than the fishy flavour you might expect.

Serves 6

Prep

20M

Cook

3H 30M

Total

3H 50M

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

1.6 kg boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 5cm pieces

2 carrots, finely chopped

35 gm (¼ cup) plain flour

3 anchovy fillets

60 ml (¼ cup) Worcestershire sauce

600 gm floury potatoes

200 ml milk

40 gm butter, diced

Method

1.Preheat oven to 150C. Heat oil in a flameproof casserole over low-medium heat, add onion and cook gently until very tender (8-10 minutes). Add lamb, increase heat to high and brown all over. Add carrot, flour, anchovies and Worcestershire sauce, and cook, stirring occasionally, to cook out the taste of the flour (3-4 minutes). Add and 500ml water, then cover and bake until lamb is tender (3-3¼ hours).

2.Cover potatoes with plenty of cold salted water in a saucepan, bring to the boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender (15-20 minutes). Drain, cool for 5 minutes, then peel and press through a potato ricer or a sieve. Heat milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add potato and butter and stir continuously over low heat until smooth. Season to taste.

3.Using a slotted spoon, remove lamb from braising liquid and, using 2 forks, coarsely shred, then return to sauce and adjust seasoning. Spoon lamb mixture into a large baking dish and top with mashed potato. Increase oven to 180C and bake pie until potato is golden (15-20 minutes) and serve hot.