The Big Glut Recipe - March

Shepherd’s Pie with lamb shank

A shepherd's pie recipe by Caroline Barty, using tender, braised lamb shank to elevate this favourite to something special.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, peeled and cut into 2cm-thick slices
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled, plus 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 6 small lamb shanks
• 500ml medium-bodied red wine
• 3 tablespoons sunflower or rapeseed oil
• 2 leeks, trimmed, washed and cut into 1cm rounds
• 2 sticks celery, finely sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1.2kg potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 55g butter
• 2 bunches spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 200ml milk

To Serve: 
• Steamed kale

Method
Heat the oven to 150°C/fan oven 130°C/mark 2. Place the onion, unpeeled garlic cloves and rosemary in a large roasting tin and arrange the lamb shanks on top. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and pour over the wine and 500ml water. Cover tightly with aluminium foil and then cook in the oven for 4 hours. Remove and leave to cool completely.

Lift out the meat and pour the cooking liquor through a sieve. Discard the solids and set aside the liquor. Remove the meat from the bones and roughly chop into 5mm pieces, removing any fat and sinew. You can prepare 24 hours in advance up to this stage.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the leeks, celery, carrots and crushed garlic, and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the vegetables from burning. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the reserved cooking liquor and chopped tomatoes. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring until slightly thickened, then turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the lamb and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and season. Take off the heat and stir in the parsley. Pour into a serving dish.

Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 12-15 minutes until soft. Meanwhile, melt 25g of the butter in a small saucepan and add the spring onions. Cook, stirring for 5-6 minutes until soft. Drain the potatoes well, tip into the saucepan and mash. Heat the remaining 30g butter with the milk until just below boiling point. Beat into the mashed potatoes and stir in the spring onions. Season with a little pepper. Carefully spread the mashed potatoes over the lamb.

Heat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/mark 4. Cook the shepherd's pie for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

Recipe courtesy House & Garden