| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 35 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 2 hr 15 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 35 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 2 hr 15 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
- 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 large leeks, white part only, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 3 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 to 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 bundle fresh thyme
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
- 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cold butter
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Coat a wide pan with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the lamb with salt and toss with the flour. Add the lamb to the pan and brown well on all sides. Remove the lamb from the pan and reserve. Ditch the oil in the pan and add a splash new olive oil.
- Add the leeks, celery, and carrots to the pan. Season the mixture with salt and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are soft and very aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the lamb back to the pan and stir to combine.
- Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste starts to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the wine and cook until it reduces by 1/2. Add enough stock to just cover the surface of the lamb. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Toss in the bay leaves and thyme bundle. Bring the stock to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until the lamb is tender. When the stock level reduces replace with more to keep the meat submerged.
- Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover by 1-inch with tap water. Season the water with salt and bring the water to a boil. Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the water from the potatoes and pass them while they are still hot through a food mill. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream to a boil. Beat the cold butter and hot cream into the pureed potatoes. Taste and season with salt, if needed. The potatoes should be creamy and very flavorful.
- Remove the lid from the lamb and add the peas. Simmer for 15 minutes more to allow the stock level to reduce. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. When done, the lamb mixture should be thick and stew-like. Remove the bay leaves and thyme bundle and discard.
- Preheat the broiler.
- Transfer the lamb to a wide, flat flameproof baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the lamb mixture in an even layer. Place the baking dish under the preheated broiler. Broil until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 709 |
| Total Fat | 46 g |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 42 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Protein | 27 g |
| Cholesterol | 130 mg |
| Sodium | 1158 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 709 |
| Total Fat | 46 g |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 42 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Protein | 27 g |
| Cholesterol | 130 mg |
| Sodium | 1158 mg |
Reviews
Had leftover mashed potatoes so thought shepherds pie was a good use. Followed this to a T except for adding some Trader Joe roasted corn. I love rack of lamb but leg is sometimes kinda eh to me. SO yummy! We ended up putting the spuds in the bottom of the bowl and the lamb stew on top. Had two servings = the best! Would be great for St Paddy’s or any time.
Hands down the best Irish Shepherd’s Pie there is. Thank you Anne for such an incredibly delicious recipe. I am a nondairy/lactose free kinda girl, so substituted coconut cream for heavy cream and ghee for the butter – a perfect combo and no one was the wiser. Although it does take some time to complete, it is totally worth it. When you need comfort food, go no further. This is the one!
Absolutely delicious! Could ground lamb be used instead of chunks?
Made this with chicken instead of lamb for my daughter in law (she LOVES chicken). It has become a family favorite … thanks
Fabulous!!
Wonderful!
Didn’t see the show and only had the benefit of the words, and it was a disaster to prepare. What is a “wide pan”? A skillet? A Dutch oven? And it matters, because even at the lowest heat there was some burning. And it goes from there, ending with what size baking dish to use. Well, I thought given her description that a 13×9 had to be right. Nope. Too big for the amount of mashed potatoes. I’m not a trained chef, but I’m not a newbie either, so a little guidance would have helped. The flavors? They’re ok, but not worth the frustration. Not by a long shot.
Used Sirloin instead of lamb. Delicious.
This is the best! I’ve made this 4 to 5 Times, never fails. Thanks Ann
I have made this recipe many times, and everyone I serve it to loves it! The lamb comes out so tender and the flavor is excellent! The only change I made was to make garlic mashed instead of regular mashed potatoes. Deeeelicious!!!