Leftover Lamb Shepherd's Pie
Shepherd's pie is a hearty British classic. It’s a dish that evokes warmth and comfort with its rich lamb filling and creamy mashed potato topping. But what happens when you find yourself with leftover lamb, wondering how to transform it? Fear not, for this Leftover Lamb Shepherd's Pie is the answer!
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Calories: 632kcal
Ingredients
- 500 g (1 lb) leftover roast lamb chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 800 g ( 28oz) potatoes peeled & chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots finely diced
- 1 stick celery finely diced
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves removed and finely chopped
- 500 ml (2 cups) lamb stock
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree / paste
- 2 tablespoon plain flour can be substituted for gluten free
- 40 g ( 1.5oz) butter can be substituted for dairy free
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (200°Fan / 220˚C).
- Peel the potatoes and chop them into small pieces. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil & add the potatoes. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Once cooked, drain into a sieve, then return to the pan, adding 30g of the butter and mash with a potato masher until soft.
- Whilst the potatoes are cooking, peel the onion and carrot, then chop finely along with the celery.
- Heat 10g of butter on a low heat in a separate saucepan. Once soft, add the celery, onion and carrot to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft, stirring regularly.
- Stir the flour into the pan and cook out for 1 minute.
- Remove the rosemary leaves from the stalks and chop finely. (Discard the stalks). Add the leaves to the pan along with the tomato puree and made-up stock and stir until the gravy has thickened.
- Chop the leftover lamb into bite-sized pieces and stir it into the gravy and veg mixture.
- Transfer the lamb mixture to an oven-proof baking dish.
- Top with the mashed potato and score the mash with a fork
- Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the mashed potatoes are golden brown and crispy.
Notes
Tips & Tricks
- Unless you are cooking for small children, don’t be afraid to season both the lamb mixture and the mashed potatoes to enhance the overall flavour.
- Stab the potatoes with a fork to check if they are cooked when boiling. If the fork easily slides into the potato, they are ready.
- Once mashed, beat the potatoes with a wooden spoon for extra smoothness and creaminess.
- If you want to be extra fancy, transfer the mashed potato to a piping bag and pipe the mashed potato on top of the lamb mixture.
- If you don't have any leftover lamb you can use lamb mince. Fry it in a saucepan for 5-10 minutes, then add to the pan at the same time you would the cooked lamb.
- If you have enough leftover gravy, omit the flour and stock and use this instead for a deliciously rich sauce.
- Make into individual pies. Spoon the lamb and potato into individual ramekin dishes. Reduce the baking time to 20 minutes.
- Vegetarian: Replace the lamb with cooked lentils or beans for a meatless version.
- Sweet potato: Swap traditional mashed potatoes for mashed sweet potatoes for a touch of sweetness.
- Cheesy: If dairy isn’t a problem, sprinkle grated cheese over the mashed potatoes before baking for an extra cheesy indulgence.
- Meat: Swap the lamb for leftover roast beef to make a cottage pie.
Nutrition
Calories: 632kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 1300mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5392IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 4mg
