For the meat filling:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas
Directions
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice.
Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high
heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the
heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with
tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and
butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until
warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and
then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and
half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir
in the yolk until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
While
the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil
into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil
shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to
take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to
combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked
through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and
toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato
paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to
combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer
slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
Add
the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by
7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around
the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and
smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan
on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the
potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15
minutes before serving.
****
Modifications: I omitted the carrot and used a bag and a half of frozen peas and carrots, a half bag of frozen green beans, and half a bag of corn.
I cooked the potatoes two days before, then I prepared everything the day before and refrigerated it until ready to bake.
I didn't drain the lamb fat after it cooked, but I should do that. Also, the flour thickened it right up quickly ao no need to simmer long to thicken.
I used 1.5 pounds of lamb and probably about 4# of potatoes. It fit into 1 large glass baking pan and another smaller one, because A. likes to cover it with loads of cheese, which kind of turns my stomach. (She'll get the large one for the cheese, as it's the only way the kids will eat much. Though, the younger one is quite interested, and the older one will eat most things with cheese - as his destruction of a pan of lasagna in 24 hours exhibits.)
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/shepherds-pie-recipe2.html?oc=linkback
