Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Overnight-Shoulder-of-Lamb Shepherd's Pie recipe

Shoulder, slow-braised on the bone, for serious depth and heft. With mash, piped (or simply spread) on top. A springtime classic, made better still. Pick the meat while still warm, as it makes the job easier. And baking the potatoes first will give you a drier, fluffier mash than the boiled equivalent. 

Ingredients

SERVES 8

PIE FILLING

1 shoulder of lamb on the bone

2 carrots, cut into 1cm dice

1 celery stalk, cut into 1cm dice 

1 large onion, cut into 1cm dice 

8 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

A sprig of rosemary leaves finely chopped

Leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme 

2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons tomato ketchup

500ml chicken stock

A handful of frozen peas

Salt and freshly ground pepper.

FOR THE DUCHESS POTATO TOPPING

6 large baking potatoes (roughly 2kg)

200ml double cream

120g unsalted butter

6 egg yolks

The Recipe

STEP 1

Season the lamb shoulder well and place on a wire rack in a roasting tray. Cover the tray loosely with foil and place in the oven at 120C (Gas Mark 0.5) and slow roast for 8 hours. At Fortnum's, we tend to leave it overnight, for the following morning's shift to take out.

STEP 2

Once cooked, pick the meat out while it is still warm, removing all the fat and skin. Shred the meat into decent-sized pieces.

STEP 3

Heat a spoonful of lamb fat from the roasting tray in a large pan, add the carrots, celery and onion and cook gently until soft. Stir in the garlic and herbs and cook for a few minutes longer.

STEP 4

Next, add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato ketchup and the lamb and mix well. Pour in the stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until it has reduced but the mixture is still moist. Check the seasoning.

STEP 5

To make the topping, wrap the potatoes in foil and bake at 200C (Gas Mark 6) for about an hour, until tender.

STEP 6

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half, scoop out the flesh and push it through a potato ricer or a sieve into a bowl. Bring the double cream and butter to the boil in a pan and beat them into the potato. Season well, then mix in the egg yolks. Once mixed, put the potato into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.

STEP 7

Now put the lamb into a large pie dish, pressing it right down. Scatter the frozen peas over, then pipe the duchess potato mix on top, ensuring the filling is completely covered.

STEP 8

Finally, place in an oven heated to 180C (Gas Mark 4) for about 20 minutes, until piping hot and golden brown. Serve, and enjoy.