A Special Shepherd's Pie

Recipes for Shepherd's Pie often proclaim the quick and easy nature of the dish. For a St Patrick day celebration a little more than quick and easy should go into a Shepherd's Pie. This recipe has been in our house for years and we have made a few adjustments to make the original a bit easier but it is not exactly quick, easy and inexpensive. It is simply excellent.

Ingredients:

For the filling

2 lb boneless lamb shoulder cut into ½ inch slices
4 or 5 carrots cut diagonally into 1/3 inch slices
2 turnips peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
4 leeks ( white & pale green part) cut into ½ inch slices
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup beef broth
1 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 ½ tablespoons softened unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the Potato Topping:

2 lb baking potatoes
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Blanch onions for 1 minute then put in cold water. Drain-peel and trim
Wash leek slices in a bowl of water Change water and repeat several times
Dry lamb and season with salt and pepper
Place lamb and 3 tablespoons flour in a plastic bag-shake to coat
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet on med.high heat
Brown ½ the lamb for 8 minutes add 1 tablespoon garlic for final 2 minutes stirring
Set aside
Repeat with remaining lamb and garlic
Set aside
De-glaze skillet with white wine over high heat 1 minute
Add tomato paste stir until liquid is reduce by ½ about 4-5 minutes
Add all ingredients(lamb-vegetables-broth –water-salt& pepper)
Bring to simmer over med-high heat then remove from heat
Transfer ingredients to a baking dish and cover with foil
Place in a 350’ oven and braise for about 1 ½ to 2 hours
Stir a few times and season to taste with salt and pepper

Preparation of Potato Topping:

Peel and quarter potatoes
Place in pot and cover with cold water salted
Simmer uncovered until tender ( at least 25 minutes) Drain in colander
Bring cream, milk and butter to simmer in now empty potato pot over moderate heat
Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper
Put potatoes through a ricer into hot cream mixture- Stir to combine-cover & keep warm

Final Assembly and broil

Remove baking dish from oven- set aside uncovered
Place 1 ½ tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour in a small bowl and stir to a paste
Take about 1 cup of liquid from baking dish and bring to a boil in a small sauce pan
Add paste and whisk over heat in liquid until thickened ( 2 minutes)
Stir gently into lamb and vegetables
Spoon potatoes over lamb and vegetables and spread evenly with a fork
Place baking dish 3 inches under the broiler for about three minutes

Note—Keep an eye on the last step under the broiler. Pull the Shepherd's Pie when the potatoes are golden

This is not the time to take a break for a Guinness. A minute too much and the
Gold on the potato topping will be gone. Enjoy the Guinness along with the complements; you will receive, about the best Shepherd's Pie that has ever graced the table at a St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

Other notes: Rinse the leeks really well. FYI: The paste that is combined at the end to thicken the lamb & veggies is called "beurre manie" If your Irish Crowd is like mine they really won't care what it is called. They will be enjoying the dish and the Day.

I think the original recipe came from the, now gone,Gourmet Magazine to which we subscribed for many years.