As a kid, I always thought this dish was called Shepherd’s Pie because it looked like a lamb – white and fluffy on the outside, full of meat on the inside.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 brown onion, finely chopped
- 1-2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
- 2 celery sticks, trimmed, finely chopped
- 500g lamb mince
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 500ml (2 cups) beef stock
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 4 (~200g each) desiree potatoes, peeled, chopped
- 40g butter
- 125ml (1/2 cup) milk
- Melted butter, to brush
METHOD:
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add lamb mince and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until lamb changes colour.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring until combined.
- Add stock, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Bring to the boil.
- Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, cook potato in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 15 minutes or until tender.
- Drain and return to the pan with the butter. Use a potato masher or fork to mash until smooth.
- Add milk and use a wooden spoon to stir until combined.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon lamb mixture into a 2L (8-cup) capacity ovenproof baking dish.
- Top with mashed potato and use a fork to spread over lamb mixture. Brush with butter.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until mashed potato is golden brown.