Despite the price of a lamb leg rocketing this year, for many families it isn’t Easter without it, which means avoiding any waste is crucial. There are many ways to use up leftover lamb, including making a delicious shepherd’s pie.
Rick Stein’s recipe, shared from Rick Stein’s Food Stories, serves six people and has multiple 10-star ratings on Good Food. The recipe notes said: “Tender seasoned lamb mixes with veggies under a golden layer of creamy mashed potatoes. A simple, comforting dish that turns humble leftovers into the perfect midweek meal.”
Ingredients:
Two tablespoons of oil, for frying
One onion, chopped
Three large carrots, diced
Two garlic cloves, finely chopped
100ml of red wine
Two tablespoons of tomato puree
150ml stock
One tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
One teaspoon of redcurrant jelly
Small rosemary sprig
500g leftover lamb, chopped or shredded
150g of peas
Small handful of flatleaf parsley, chopped
One kilogram of potatoes
50g butter
60ml double cream
Salt and pepper
Method:
Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish or saucepan on medium heat before adding in the onions, carrots, and garlic, then fry until softened.
Add in the red wine and tomato puree, and then bring this to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add the stock or gravy, Worcestershire sauce, redcurrant jelly and rosemary.
Add the lamb, peas, and parsley before seasoning them with salt and pepper. Simmer gently on a low heat while you prepare the potatoes.
Make sure to preheat the oven to 200C or 180C Fan at this stage too.
Boil the potatoes in a pan for around 12 minutes until tender before draining and adding the butter and cream. Rick recommends passing the potatoes through a ricer to ensure they are silky smooth.
Mix well to form a creamy mash without any lumps and season well to taste with salt and pepper.
If not using a casserole dish, transfer the lamb mixture to an ovenproof pie dish before topping it with the mashed potatoes.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden-brown and bubbling before serving immediately and tucking in.
