Recipe: Roast Lamb & The Ultimate Shepherd’s Pie

Following on from my basic Roast Chicken and favorite Brisket, another roast me and W conquered over the summer is lamb. Probably the most expensive we cooked portion-wise, it was a bit of a splurge but all the more delicious for it. At about £7 for a half a shoulder, this did us two eat-until-we’re-stuffed meals. As both of the dishes were quite heavy and warming I’ve waited until now to share them – they are perfect comfort food for this time of year!

The roast lamb is tender, melt-in-the-mouth and perfectly flavoured – meaty but with a decent herby kick too. However I think the real star here is the Shepherd’s Pie. Inspired by Jamie’s recipe (as always!) it is an indulgent version of one of my childhood favourites. Seriously, why did I never think to line the dish with potato all the way round?! Coupled with cheese and breadcrumbs this makes for a crunchy casing surrounding an intense filling. Worth the stressful few hours in the kitchen to make, though I would perhaps avoid doing so in the summer heat again…

All quantities below serve two; two for a greedy roast, two for a comforting pie. I reckon this would be pretty easy to scale up though!

Ingredients (Roast Lamb)

1 half lamb shoulder
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 onion, roughly chopped
Lamb stock (1 litre)
2 tablespoons plain flour

Ingredients (Shepherds Pie)

Potatoes (I do around 250g unpeeled each)
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
1 slice bread, whizzed into crumbs
75g coarsely grated cheddar
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Drizzle the lamb with a little oil, season with salt and pepper, and rub to coat. Tear over some fresh rosemary, then place in a roasting tin on top of the onions. Add a splash of water to the tray, loosely cover with greaseproof paper, and roast at 170C for two-three hours, removing the cover for the final 45 minutes. The lamb should be very tender, almost falling off the bone.

Make your gravy by removing the lamb and keeping warm. Spoon off any excess fat from the pan, then place on the hob over a medium heat. Add two tablespoons of flour and fry, stirring constantly, for two minutes before gradually adding the stock. Strain through a sieve, making sure to save a good amount for the pie.

After eating the roast, roughly chop any leftover meat, and chill or freezer along with the leftover gravy. On pie day, fry the vegetables in oil (or any reserved lamb fat) until soft and golden. Add the lamb, half of the gravy and a little rosemary and simmer until you have a thick stew like consistency. Meanwhile peel and boil potatoes, before mashing and leaving to cool.

Assemble the pie by brushing the dish with a little oil. Lightly coat with breadcrumbs, sprinkle over a little cheese, then press half of the potato around the dish to form the sides and base. Spoon in the meat-veg filling, top with the remaining mash, cheese and breadcrumbs, then bake at 180C for 1 hour, until golden and crisp. Enjoy with the leftover gravy.

Whilst definitely a bit of a splurge, I do love lamb – I only wish I could have it more often. Whilst it took quite a bit of time, the pie was a great way to stretch the leftovers a bit further whilst still being really indulgent, perfect really!

What’s your favorite roast meat? Have you made anything really delicious with your leftovers?