Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • 1.8 kg (4 lb) floury potatoes - such as Maris Piper (,peeled and chopped into large chunks)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 onions (,peeled and finely chopped)
  • 2 sticks celery (,finely chopped)
  • 2 carrots (,peeled and finely chopped)
  • 900 g (2 lb) minced lamb
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 litre (4 1/2 cups) beef or lamb stock ((boiling water plus 3-4 stock cubes is fine))
  • 120 ml (1/2 cup) double (heavy) cream
  • 120 g (8 tbsp) unsalted butter
  • 2 heaped tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

Instruction

  • Place the potatoes in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • While the potatoes are cooking, preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
  • Add the onions, celery and carrot and cook on medium heat for five minutes until they start to soften.
  • Add the minced lamb and cook until browned – breaking up any pieces as you go.
  • Add in half the salt and pepper, the Worcestershire sauce and stock. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  • By this time, the potatoes should be cooked. Drain the potatoes and mash using a potato ricer.
  • Add the cream, butter and remaining salt and pepper and mix together.
  • Mix the cornflour with four tbsp of cold water and stir into the simmering lamb mixture to thicken the sauce (you may need to add a little more if you like it thicker).
  • Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to scoop out the lamb mixture and place into a 13”x 10.6” (33cmx27cm) baking dish. This should leave most of the gravy behind in the pan.
  • Top the lamb with the mash potatoes, and flatten out with a spoon.
  • Rough up the top of the mash with a fork (so you get nice crispy bits).
  • Place in the oven for 20 minutes until the mashed potato is golden brown.
  • Heat up the gravy, then serve the shepherd’s pie with the gravy and some green veg.