Jo Saffords Leg Of Lamb And Shepherds Pie Carrie Sheridan Food

LAMB SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine the garlic, bay leaf, carrot, celery, onion and oil in a medium skillet and cook, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Push the vegetables to the perimeter of the pan and add the lamb. Increase the heat to high and cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until browned all over. Sprinkle with the mustard, 1 teaspoon of the salt and some pepper. Stir until fragrant, 1 minute, then add the tomato paste, fennel seeds and tomato puree and stir again. Cook for 1 minute more. Turn off the heat and stir in the mint and sage. Remove the bay leaf.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover by 2 inches with salted water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook until a knife releases easily from the potatoes when pierced in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the potatoes. In the same pot, combine the milk, butter, and 1/2 cup of the cooking water and stir together over high heat. Bring to a boil. Mash the potatoes with a masher, then slowly drizzle the hot liquid over the potatoes and stir until light and fluffy. Taste and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon the lamb mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch deep-dish pie plate, spreading it evenly over the bottom. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top, covering completely. Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to create a swirled pattern in the potatoes. Bake until the topping turns golden in spots, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

JO SAFFORD'S LEG OF LAMB AND SHEPHERD'S PIE CARRIE SHERIDAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut slits into leg of lamb and insert slivers of garlic [to taste -- you can also add whole unpeeled cloves of garlic to the pan, once some drippings have formed in the pan].
• Coat leg of lamb with oil.
• Sprinkle with salt, pepper and fines herbes, patting these into the oil.
• Bake 25 minutes per lb for rare, or longer for medium.
• Remove and let sit for 20 minutes before serving --.
• Remove excess fat from pan and make gravy with water and cornstarch (which has been dissolved in cold water and THEN added) to thicken.
• For shepherd's pie leftovers: Trim meat off bone after dinner; cut into 1-2 inch cubes; grind in a food processor or blender; add chopped onion to taste; add enough gravy to bind and moisten [can use Knorr beef gravy mix in a packet or better than bouillon beef base].
• Steam 1 potato per 1 cup of ground meat; mash with some milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste; put 1/3 of potato mixture into ground meat; pat into a casserole and top with remaining mashed potatoes; sprinkle with paprika and bake at 375°F until it's bubbling (about 30 minutes).

SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes to boiling water and boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance.
• In a small saucepan or a microwave oven, heat 6 tablespoons of the butter and milk together until butter melts. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Using a masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth. Mix in the hot butter mixture, just until blended. Stir in the Cheddar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large oven-safe skillet with high sides or an enameled cast-iron braiser (at least 2 1/2-quart capacity) over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beef and the lamb and cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until it is no longer pink. (At this point, you can drain off some of the excess fat if you like.) Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the tomato paste and stir, cooking until it is well combined, another 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef stock and cook, stirring, until the liquid has thickened slightly. Stir in the parsley and remove the thyme and rosemary stems. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Top the meat mixture with dollops of the mashed potatoes then spread them out over the top. (Or transfer the meat mixture to a 3-quart casserole dish and spread into an even layer, and top with potatoes.) Transfer to the oven and, if the mixture is at the top edges of your pan, set a foil-lined baking sheet underneath the pan to catch any drips. Bake the pie until the potatoes have begun to brown and the edges are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.