Real Shepherd’s Pie with ‘Shrooms and Stout
Some of my favorite subjects are pie and lamb:
So let’s bake them into a pie!
“Four and twenty lamb shoulders baked in pie...”🎶
Okay, a tad morbid, but hey,
nutritious, delicious, and traditional.
I have for you a new recipe that makes my heart (and tummy!) sing:
Rich, flavorful stew filled with tender lamb and vegetables, flavored with dark stout and topped with creamy potatoes with a kick!
This one’s a keeper, trust me!
Never tried lamb, but want to?
Here’s your chance!
“Wow” your guests by pulling this bad boy out of the oven and enjoy a fancy, hardy meal with minimal work,
so you have time to reminisce and make memories
(aren’t we all craving real meals and real moments right now?).
An easy lamb recipe to get “your feet wet”, and make you look like a gourmet chef!
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds of boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1-inch cubes (you can also substitute ground lamb in a pinch)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
3 stalks celery, sliced 1/4-inch thick
8 ounces crimini or button mushrooms (baby portabellas also work!), halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups lamb or low-sodium beef broth
1 cup Irish stout, such as Guinness
2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 cup frozen peas (Don’t like peas? Sub green beans instead!)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
Season the lamb with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and several grinds of pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook the lamb, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pot and melt over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms and garlic, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables just begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Uncover, sprinkle with flour, and stir it in, and cook for a minute or two. Pour in the stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring to combine completely with each addition. Add the stout, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Return the lamb to the Dutch oven, cover, and place in the oven to cook until the lamb is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Season generously with salt, cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well, then return the potatoes to the pan. Cube 3 tablespoons of the butter and add it to the potatoes. Start mashing the potatoes, and then gradually begin adding the sour cream. Stir in the horseradish, and season with salt.
When the stew is done, remove it from the oven and increase the temperature to 400˚F. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in the peas and pour the stew into a 3-quart baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly on top, and use a fork to make decorative lines or peaks.
Cube the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and dot the top. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are crusty and browned in spots. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
This recipe is adapted from The American Lamb Society