Shepherd’s pie with lamb shank

Name: Shepherd’s pie with lamb shank
Ingredients: 1 Garlic bulb; Thyme; Rosemary; 100 g Tomatoes; 100 g Onions; 100 g Celery; 100 g Carrot; 1 kg Lamb shank; 250 ml Red wine; 1 Bouquet garni; Salt; 1 l lamb stock; Pepper; 1 kg Mashed potatoes; 50 g Grated mature cheddar; 20 g Breadcrumbs

Classic shepherd’s pie with slow-braised lamb shank, spiced gravy, and mashed potatoes. Rich, savory, and perfectly gratinated.

Where cottage pie is made with beef, a true Shepherd’s pie should contain lamb. Comfort food at its best. This luxurious version is prepared with slow-cooked lamb shank in a rich sauce of red wine and lamb stock. Finished with creamy mashed potatoes, cheddar, and a crispy crust. Served with a bottle of HP sauce on the side in small pie dishes or one large dish: always unmistakably British.

Born and raised in Leeds, but moved to the Netherlands for love: chef Steve Sykes. He now works in the kitchen of Kingstreet Restaurant in Hotel De Keizerskroon in Apeldoorn, part of Bilderberg. Every week he surprises his guests with new creations, often with a touch of Leeds. For HANOS, Steve shares his favorite British classics.

Ingredients

1Garlic bulb

Thyme

Rosemary

100gTomatoes

100gOnions

100gCelery

100gCarrot

1kgLamb shank

250mlRed wine

1Bouquet garni

Salt

1llamb stock

Pepper

1kgMashed potatoes

50gGrated mature cheddar

20gBreadcrumbs

Preparation

Brine the lamb shank for about 30 hours in a 5% wet brine with thyme, rosemary, and a bulb of garlic.
Pat the shanks dry and brown them all over in a cast iron pan with butter.
Cut carrot, onion, celery, and tomato into a fine brunoise (mirepoix).
Remove the meat from the pan and sauté the vegetables in the cooking fat.
Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf (bouquet garni).
Deglaze with red wine and reduce by half.
Add the lamb stock and the shanks. Season with salt and pepper.
Cover the pan with parchment paper (cartouche) and place the lid on top. Braise for 3 hours in the oven at 160°C, or until the meat falls off the bone.
Check the sauce: it should be rich in flavor, with few visible vegetable cubes (these mostly dissolve).
Let the meat cool slightly, shred it into nice pieces, and return to the sauce. Let cool completely.
Divide the meat into individual pie dishes or a large oven dish. Generously pipe the mashed potatoes on top.
Brush the mash with some beaten egg for a nice color.
Sprinkle with grated cheddar and panko (or breadcrumbs) for a crispy crust.
Bake the pie for 20 minutes in the oven at 180°C, until piping hot and nicely gratinated.
Serve warm, with glazed carrots (honey roasted carrots), peas with onion and mint sauce (minted peas). Traditionally served with a little HP sauce.