Ruth's Shepherd's Pie

Bob and Ruth Clifford

I had a recent request for a recipe for Shepherd's Pie.  This is a dish I do not make since my sister Ruth (photo) has what I consider to be the ultimate recipe and I get to enjoy it when we visit her!  It's not a quick and easy recipe but the results are worth the effort. I hope you will like it as much as I do.

RUTH'S  SHEPHERD'S PIE 

5 ½ lb large lamb shanks (4 large) 
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, trimmed and quartered (do not peel) 
½ cup fresh thyme sprigs
½ cup fresh rosemary sprigs
½ cup dry white wine
1 ¼ cups beef broth
1 ¼ cups water
3 lb russet (baking) potatoes (6) 
1 ¼ to 1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ cup whole milk
5 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 
Prepare lamb: Preheat oven to 450°F. 

Put lamb shanks in a large metal roasting pan, then rub with oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange onion wedges around lamb. Roast lamb in middle of oven 40 minutes. Turn shanks over, scatter with herb sprigs, and roast 40 minutes more. 

Pour wine, broth, and water into roasting pan. Cover pan tightly with foil and braise lamb until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer shanks to a plate and remove and discard skins from onions. Pour cooking liquid (including onions) into a large glass measure (do not clean roasting pan). 

Prepare potatoes and boil carrots while lamb roasts: Pierce each potato once with a fork and bake on rack in lower third of oven until cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes. 

Cool potatoes 10 minutes, then halve lengthwise and scoop out flesh. Force warm potatoes through ricer into a bowl. Stir in salt, milk, and pepper to taste.

Cook carrots in boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. 

Make gravy: Skim fat from cooking liquid (you'll have about 2 1/2 cups broth). Whisk together 1 cup broth and flour in a large bowl to make a thin paste, then whisk in remaining broth (including onions). Set roasting pan across 2 burners and pour broth mixture into pan. Boil over moderate heat, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. 

Cut lamb meat from bones, then tear meat into bite-size pieces. Stir meat into gravy. 
Assemble and bake pie: Reduce oven to 350°F. 

Spoon lamb-shank mixture into a 12- by 3-inch oval gratin dish or a 2 ½ - to 3-quart shallow baking dish, spreading evenly. Scatter carrots over lamb, then top with mashed potatoes, spreading evenly to edges of dish to cover filling completely. Make swirl patterns on surface of potatoes with back of spoon, then drizzle with melted butter. 

What is the difference between Shepherd's pie and Cottage pie?

 There are a number of things that drive me crazy (well actually there are lots of things that drive me crazy) but in the world of food, particularly British food, I have at least two pet peeves.  One is High Tea, more on that later, and the other is Shepherd's Pie.  If one just thinks about it a little, the clue is in the name - "shepherd"  = lamb!  Pretty much the same recipe made with beef is called Cottage Pie which I much prefer over it's lamb counterpart.  I often make this in advance, freeze in portions to serve two, and only have to make some mashed potatoes for a comforting dinner that takes only minutes to make.

Cottage Pie

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds chopped beef

2 onions, finely chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons plain flour

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup red wine

2 cups beef stock

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

few thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1½ cups frozen peas

4 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

7 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated



Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan and cook beef until browned - you may need to do this in batches. Break up any large pieces of beef with a wooden spoon. Set beef aside. Put the rest of the oil into the pan, add the vegetables and cook on a gentle heat until soft, about 20 minutes.

 Add the garlic, flour and tomato paste, increase the heat and cook for a few minutes, then return the beef to the pan. Pour over the wine, bring to a boil and reduce slightly before adding the stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs.

Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered for about 30 minutes. If a lot of liquid remains, add a tablespoon or two of flour (Wondra works best) until mixture thickens. Season well, then discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks. Add peas.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain well, then allow to steam-dry for a few minutes. Mash well with the milk, butter, and ¾ of the cheese, then season with salt and pepper.

Spoon meat into an ovenproof dish. Pipe or spoon the potatoes to cover. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until the topping is golden.
Makes 10 one cup servings.

Send questions to bbusciglio@gmail.com