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Tender ground lamb braised with root vegetables and herbs, blanketed under a golden crust of buttery mashed potatoes. The kind of meal that makes a kitchen smell like home on a cold evening.
Start with the lamb. This dish was born from necessity: shepherds in the British Isles using what they had, stretching precious meat with vegetables from the root cellar, covering everything with potatoes to hold in the warmth. It is peasant food in the best sense. Honest, filling, and deeply satisfying.
The lamb matters most. Pasture-raised animals that have eaten grass and moved freely on the land taste different from those raised in confinement. The fat carries flavor. The meat has depth. When you brown good lamb in a hot pan, you will smell the difference before you taste it.
Root vegetables belong here: carrots, celery, onion, maybe a parsnip if you find a good one. They should be fresh and firm, not the tired specimens that have lingered too long in cold storage. Cut them small so they meld into the filling, each bite a balance of meat and vegetable.
The potatoes deserve attention too. Waxy varieties hold their shape but turn gummy when mashed. You want starchy potatoes, Yukon Gold or Russet, that will whip into clouds when treated with butter and cream. The crust should be golden and crisp at the edges, soft and yielding beneath. This is a dish that asks for second helpings.
Quantity
2 pounds
preferably pasture-raised
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1 large
diced
Quantity
3 medium
peeled and diced
Quantity
2
diced
Quantity
4 cloves
minced
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
1 cup
Quantity
1/2 cup
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
2 teaspoons
Quantity
1 teaspoon
minced
Quantity
1
Quantity
1 cup
Quantity
to taste
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
Quantity
2 1/2 pounds
peeled and quartered
Quantity
6 tablespoons
cut into pieces
Quantity
1/2 cup
warmed
Quantity
1/4 cup
warmed
Quantity
1 large
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| ground lambpreferably pasture-raised | 2 pounds |
| olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
| yellow oniondiced | 1 large |
| carrotspeeled and diced | 3 medium |
| celery stalksdiced | 2 |
| garlicminced | 4 cloves |
| tomato paste | 2 tablespoons |
| all-purpose flour | 1 tablespoon |
| beef or lamb stock | 1 cup |
| dry red wine | 1/2 cup |
| Worcestershire sauce | 1 tablespoon |
| fresh thyme leaves | 2 teaspoons |
| fresh rosemaryminced | 1 teaspoon |
| bay leaf | 1 |
| frozen peas | 1 cup |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
| Yukon Gold potatoespeeled and quartered | 2 1/2 pounds |
| unsalted buttercut into pieces | 6 tablespoons |
| whole milkwarmed | 1/2 cup |
| heavy creamwarmed | 1/4 cup |
| egg yolk | 1 large |
Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb, breaking it into large pieces with a wooden spoon. Let it sit undisturbed for two minutes to develop a proper crust. Stir and continue cooking until deeply browned, another five to six minutes. The fond on the bottom of the pan is flavor. Do not scrub it away. Transfer the lamb to a bowl, leaving the rendered fat behind.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the onion, carrots, and celery with a generous pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion turns translucent, about eight minutes. The salt draws out moisture and helps everything cook evenly. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, one minute more.
Clear a space in the center of the pan and add the tomato paste. Let it cook in the hot spot for thirty seconds, stirring it into the vegetables. Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir to coat. Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it bubble for a minute to cook off the alcohol.
Return the lamb to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for twenty to twenty-five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. The filling should be savory and rich, coating the meat without being soupy. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the frozen peas. They will cook in the residual heat.
While the filling simmers, place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold salted water by two inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook until completely tender when pierced with a knife, fifteen to twenty minutes. Drain well and return to the warm pot. Let them steam dry for two minutes.
Add the butter to the warm potatoes and mash until melted and incorporated. Pour in the warm milk and cream, continuing to mash until smooth and fluffy. Season generously with salt and pepper. Beat in the egg yolk, which will help the topping turn golden under the broiler. Taste again. The potatoes should be well seasoned on their own.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Transfer the lamb filling to a 9x13-inch baking dish or a large cast iron skillet, spreading it evenly. Dollop the mashed potatoes over the top, then spread gently to cover the filling completely. Use a fork to create peaks and ridges across the surface. These will brown and crisp beautifully.
Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubbling juices. Bake for twenty-five to thirty minutes until the filling is bubbling at the edges and the potato peaks have turned golden. If you want deeper color, run it under the broiler for two to three minutes, watching carefully. Let it rest for ten minutes before serving. The filling is volcanic straight from the oven.
1 serving (about 415g)
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