Shepherd’s Pie

I’ve been cooking at home for many years now. Nowadays, I prepare simpler dishes for my family’s daily meals. However, when I first started cooking I was still working a full-time job, so cooking was more of a weekend affair, focusing on “fancier” dishes, or exotic dishes from other cuisines I was curious about. One of the earliest dishes I’ve ever attempted was shepherd’s pie.

Like many of the earliest dishes I’ve ever attempted, I made this shepherd’s pie based on the recipe by Emeril Lagasse, with a few tweaks here and there. It’s been over a decade since I last made this dish, but recently I made this pie again, as a potential candidate for food to bring during our camping trips. We loved the result, and will definitely pack this in our cooler on our next trip.

You can save time and use store-bought mince, but I prefer to chop the meat myself, either by hand or using a food processor. In this recent attempt the lamb shoulder chunks I used had a little bit of bone here and there. After removing the meat from the bones, I threw the bone pieces into the pot to simmer with the rest of the meat filling. This really brought a lot of flavor to the mixture. If you’re not a fan of lamb, make this with beef (your shepherd’s pie will then be called “cottage pie”) or chicken (“farmer’s pie”).

Serve this hearty, comforting pie with a side of coleslaw, peas and gravy. To my fellow Malaysians who feel a little nostalgic for Dave’s Deli’s delicious shepherd’s pie, give this version a try!

Step by Step

Lightly grease a 6-cup (8- by 6-inch) baking dish. Set aside until ready to use.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.

Add the lamb and cook undisturbed, until starting to brown, 3 minutes per side.

Next, add the onions, carrots, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and Italian seasoning and cook, stirring, until onions are soft, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and bay leaf and cook, stirring, until the liquid from the mushrooms are almost completely evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the mixture slightly darkens, about 2 minutes.

Then, add the flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously, about 1 minute.

Gradually pour in the water, the beef stock cube and Worchestershire sauce, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the mixture has thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (fan 180 degrees C).

While the meat is simmering, cook the potatoes. In a medium-sized pot, add the potatoes, enough water to cover, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook, until potatoes are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork or knife, 10 minutes.

Drain the potatoes in a colander, then return to the pot. Return the pot to the stove over low heat, and mash the potatoes with a potato masher.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, remaining ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and nutmeg. Mash to incorporate.

Pour in the cream, and stir until thoroughly combined. Remove the pot from heat.

When the meat mixture is done, remove from heat. Discard the bay leaf.

Ladle the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Top with the mashed potatoes.

Run a fork over the mashed potato topping, to spread it out evenly and create ridges. Doing this increases the surface area exposed during baking, resulting in a beautifully textured, crispy, golden-brown crust. It also makes your pie look rustic and yummy.

Sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheese.

Bake in the oven, until the top is browned and bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes. If you have a broiler option, turn it on for the last 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Shepherd’s Pie

A hearty, comforting casserole, with minced lamb and vegetable filling in tomato-based gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine British

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 500 grams boneless lamb shoulder OR lamb fillet chopped, see Note 1
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped, about 1 cup
• 2 carrots diced, about 1 cup
• 2 ¼ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning optional
• 150 grams button mushrooms wiped clean and sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups water
• ½ beef stock cube see Note 2
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 500 grams russet potatoes 2 large, peeled and cut into large chunks
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 125 ml whipping cream up to 36% fat, see Note 3
• ½ cup mix of mild and sharp cheddars

Instructions

 

• Lightly grease a 6-cup (8- by 6-inch) baking dish. Set aside until ready to use.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.
• Add the lamb and cook undisturbed, until starting to brown, 3 minutes per side.
• Next, add the onions, carrots, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and Italian seasoning and cook, stirring, until onions are soft, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Here I was using 3/4 teaspoon salt, I’ve reduced the amount in the recipe for a more balanced flavor.
• Add the mushrooms and bay leaf and cook, stirring, until the liquid from the mushrooms are almost completely evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the mixture slightly darkens, about 2 minutes.
• Then, add the flour and continue cooking, stirring continuously, about 1 minute.
• Gradually pour in the water, the beef stock cube and Worchestershire sauce, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the mixture has thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (fan 180 degrees C).
• While the meat is simmering, cook the potatoes. In a medium-sized pot, add the potatoes, enough water to cover, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook, until potatoes are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork or knife, 10 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander, then return to the pot. Return the pot to the stove over low heat, and mash the potatoes with a potato masher.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, remaining ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and nutmeg. Mash to incorporate.
• Pour in the cream, and stir until thoroughly combined. Remove the pot from heat.
• When the meat mixture is done, remove from heat. Discard the bay leaf.
• Ladle the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• Top with the mashed potatoes.
• Run a fork over the mashed potato topping, to spread it out evenly and create ridges. Doing this increases the surface area exposed during baking, resulting in a beautifully textured, crispy, golden-brown crust. It also makes your pie look rustic and yummy.
• Sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheese.
• Bake in the oven, until the top is browned and bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes. If you have a broiler option, turn it on for the last 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Notes

1. If lamb is not your thing, you can substitute with boneless beef chuck cubes, or boneless chicken thighs.  Shepherd’s pie is traditionally called “cottage pie” when made with beef, and “farmer’s pie” when made with chicken.  Finely chop the meat by hand, or using a foor processor or chopper.  Use store-bought mince to save time.
2. If making this recipe with chicken, use chicken stock cubes.
3. In some regions, heavy cream is not as readily available, and whipping cream is used as a viable substitute.  If easily available to you, use heavy cream for this recipe.

Keyword casserole