Traditional Shepherd's Pie: Irish Lamb Pie

Today I’m taking you on a journey courtesy of this delicious Shepherd’s Pie tradicional: Irish lamb pie. This typical meat pie is a true classic in Irish kitchens, and a dish that a must-have in Saint Patrick's day. The celebration of St. Patrick's Day (celebrated every March 17 in honor of the patron saint of Ireland) has crossed borders and I'm sure most of us mark the date in green on our calendar, like the green of the clover which served the saint as an example to explain the Holy Trinity.

The recipe for this cake came about, as is the case with so many others leftover recipes, as a way to use leftovers and the less appreciated parts of lamb. Chopped, cooked, and covered with mashed potatoes, they turned into a complete and traditional dish. To distinguish it from the beef pie, it was named Shepherd's Pie or shepherd's pie, back in the 18th century.

This recipe wouldn't be complete without the the most Irish stout, Guinness. But if you have kids at home or prefer not to use it, you can replace it with the same amount of broth. And although the Shepherd’s Pie traditional or Irish lamb pie let it be a dish that must be on your table, if you want to join the St. Patrick's Day celebration, I recommend you make it whenever you like. It's a wonderful recipe!

Ingredients (for 6-8 servings)

For mashed potatoes

• 1 kg of potatoes for boiling
  
• 170 g salted butter
• 170 g hot whipping cream (35-40% fat)
  
• Salt (to taste)
  
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

For the meat filling

• 680 g minced lamb
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of concentrated tomato paste
• 100 g of frozen peas
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 peeled carrots, cut into small cubes
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of thyme
• 1 tablespoon of rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce (Lea&Perrins sauce)
  
• 250 ml of beef broth
• 250 ml of Guinness beer stout Dublin (or another stout)
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preparing the mashed potatoes:

1. We’ll start by boiling the potatoes, and we’ll do it without peeling them. Wash them and put them in a large pot, covered with cold water. Boil the potatoes until they’re done; when you pierce them with a fork and it comes out easily, they’re cooked.
   
2. Take the pot off the heat, drain the potatoes, and let them cool slightly before peeling them. You can also boil them with the skin on, but the result is better if you do it as I indicate in the recipe.
3. Once you have peeled the potatoes, you will need to purée or mash them. If you do it by hand, put the potatoes in a bowl. To mash them, you can use a fork or a potato ricer, which is quite an invention!
4. Add the butter, salt, and garlic. Blend with your hand blender or countertop blender until they are well incorporated.
5. Lastly, slowly add the cream while blending until it reaches the desired texture. Cover directly on the surface with plastic wrap and set aside. If you have a food processor, you can make the puree directly there.

2. For the meat filling:

1. Heat the your Lodge cast iron skillet pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes and add the oil. Raise the heat a bit and add the ground meat; season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let the meat brown for about 5–10 minutes. Remove it from the heat, draining the oil well so it stays in the pan, and set it aside, letting it finish releasing any excess oil (you can place it on a plate lined with paper towels).
2. Set the heat to medium-low and add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes, until they’re softened, and add the tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine everything.
3. Add the meat to the pan, stir to combine, and immediately add the beer and the stock. Let it cook over low heat until the liquid reduces and you see that the sauce has thickened slightly.
4. Add the peas and let everything cook for a couple more minutes before removing the pan from the heat.

3. Assembling shepherds' pie, lamb pie, or Shepherd’s Pie:

1. Preheat the oven to 200-210 °C (top and bottom heat).
2. Place the mashed potatoes in a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
3. Completely cover the pie with the mash, piping rosettes with a bit of flair so it looks nice (as if you were making duchess potatoes as a side, but directly over the meat).
4. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes at 200 °C, until the puree is golden
5. If you want, for the last 5 minutes you can switch to the broiler (top heat) so it gets more browned.
6. Remove from the oven, let it cool a bit, and bring it to the table to enjoy the cake and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the way it should be, or any other day!