Lamb Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Brown aromatics and lamb

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 10" ovenproof skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery and sweat until softened, about 5–6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Push vegetables to the side, add ground lamb to the pan and break up with a spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.

Build the gravy

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle the tablespoon of flour over the meat and vegetables and stir to combine; cook 1 minute to remove raw flour taste. Slowly add the stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 4–6 minutes. Stir in frozen peas and cook 1–2 minutes just to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Cook potatoes

While meat is cooking, place peeled and cut potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes.

Warm milk and scallions

While potatoes cook, gently warm the milk with 1 tablespoon butter and the sliced scallion whites in a small saucepan or microwave until hot but not boiling. This flavors the milk and keeps potatoes hot.

Mash and finish

Drain potatoes well and return to the pot. Mash with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then gradually add warm milk while mashing until smooth but still slightly textured (champ should be a little fluffy). Stir in the sliced scallion greens, grated Irish cheddar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and a pinch (1/8 tsp) nutmeg if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.

If you used a non-ovenproof skillet for the lamb, transfer the meat and gravy to a 9x9-inch or similarly sized baking dish. Spread the lamb mixture into an even layer.

Spoon the champ (potato mixture) over the lamb, starting at the edges to seal in the filling, then smooth or texture the top with a fork. Dot the surface with the melted butter. Sprinkle a little extra grated Irish cheddar over the top if desired.

Bake in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling, about 20–25 minutes. For a more browned top, finish under the broiler 1–2 minutes, watching closely.

Remove from oven and let rest 5–10 minutes to set. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top before serving.