Gordon Ramsay’s Shepherd’s Pie

I love lamb… It’s gamey and rich and different. It’s a better red meat in many respects, and I’ve been substituting it more & more in pastas, stews, and curries. Recently, I’ve been having a craving for a lamb dish staple, Shepherd’s Pie!

I wish I could say that this is my recipe, but I can’t. It is the great Chef Ramsay’s take on the British classic from the 3rd season of the F Word. I’ve watched this video over and over to capture the technique and gain insight on the proportions and everything came out perfect. Here’s what I did!

INGREDIENTS:
For the Lamb Mixture
1 tbsp light olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1.5 - 2 lbs ground lamb
1 medium onion
2 ribs celery strings removed
1 carrot
1 clove garlic
1 - 2 tsbp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1.5 - 2 cups full bodied red wine
1 tsp fresh thyme
½ tbsp fresh thyme, leaves picked off
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 tbsp flour (optional - I did it out of habit to create a thicker sauce)
2 cups chicken stock

For the Mash
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, quarted
1 small sprig rosemary
4 whole large cloves garlic
3 - 4 tbsp butter
2 egg yolks
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (get good stuff!)
2/3 cup warm milk

Add olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and sear until just cooked through. Using a paper towel, remove any excess fat. Grate in the onion, celery, and carrot. Sweat for 5-7 minutes until translucent. Grate in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add in the Worcestershire, tomato paste and cook until slightly darker, about 2 minutes. Add the red wine, thyme, and rosemary and reduce until almost all of the red wine has evaporated. Add in 1 tbsp of flour (optional) and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the chicken stock and reduce until the mixture has a rich, thick consistency. Taste for salt & pepper levels. Adjust.

For the mash, add the yukon gold potatoes to a sauce pan. Cover with cold water, add the sprig of rosemary, add salt to flavor, and bring to a gentle boil. Brown 4 whole cloves of garlic on all sides in a small sauté pan. Add to the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain and pass the potatoes through a ricer or hand mash. Add in 3 tbsp of butter, 2 egg yolks, 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, ½ - 2/3 cup warm milk, and salt & pepper to taste. Whip until smooth. Taste for salt & pepper levels. Adjust.

Place the lamb mixture into a medium baking dish. Spoon over the mash and spread. Season the top with salt & pepper and a healthy dusting of grated parmesan cheese. Spike the top with the tines of a fork to create more surface area. Broil on low until the top is golden brown and crispy.