Lamb Pies

(All Recipes have Gluten-Free Options)

Spiced ‘Shepherd’s Pie’ with Butterbean Crust (Serves 6)

This is a recipe from Ottolenghi’s cookbook, ‘Simple’. And yes, despite being a ‘Shepherd’s Pie’ it’s incredibly easy to make as there is no need to boil and mash potatoes – the topping is simply canned butterbeans which are roughly mashed with a fork; it couldn’t be easier! In addition, it explodes with flavour, there’s spice from the harissa, sweetness from the apricots and a touch of bitterness from the green olives – it’s wonderful!

90ml olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 banana shallots (180g), thinly sliced

600g lamb mince

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 tablespoon ground allspice

2 lemons, finely grate the zest to get 2 teaspoons

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons rose harissa (I use ‘Belazu’)

100g dried apricots, quartered

280ml chicken stock

220ml white wine

80g pitted green olives, halved lengthways

3 x 400g tins butterbeans, drained and rinsed

4 tablespoons tahini

Sea salt and black pepper

  1. Put 3 tablespoons of oil into a large pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and golden.
  2. Increase the heat to high and add the lamb, cumin, allspice, half the lemon zest and ½ teaspoon salt. Fry for 5 minutes until browned, stirring every now and then, then add the tomato paste, harissa and apricots. Fry for another 2 minutes then pour over the stock and wine. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
  3. Once cooked, set aside to cool and add the olives. Spoon into a 20x25cm ovenproof highsided dish and refrigerate for at least half an hour. This will firm up the meat making it easier to spread the mash on top.
  4. Meanwhile make the mash. Mix the butterbeans in a bowl with the remaining lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the tahini paste, 3 tablespoons of water, ¾ teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Use a potato masher to mash the beans, they don’t need to be completely smooth, just spreadable.
  5. Spread the mash over the lamb, then use a spoon to make a few shallow dips. Drizzle over the remaining tablespoon of oil and bake in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 30 minutes until nicely coloured and bubbly. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

‘My Favourite’ Shepherds Pie (Serves 4)

If you have grown up in the British Isles there is no doubt that you have eaten numerous variations of this traditional dish. Shepherds pie is the perfect winter comfort food, and this recipe by Delia Smith is my all time favourite, the addition of the cheese and leeks, slightly caramelised on top of the mashed potato takes the dish to a higher level!…Serve simply with peas.

450g minced lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

75g swede, peeled and chopped

75g carrot, peeled and chopped

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1 tablespoon plain flour (gluten free if required)

275ml lamb stock

1 tablespoon tomato purée

Salt and black pepper

For the topping:

50g mature Cheddar, grated

2 medium leeks, cleaned and cut into 1cm slices

900g floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper or King Edward)

50g butter

Salt and black pepper

(You will need a buttered baking dish approx. 19cm square x 5cm deep)

  1. Gently heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onions, fry for 5 minutes until slightly browned. Add the chopped carrot and swede and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove all the vegetables to a plate.
  2. Now turn up the heat, and brown the meat, stirring to break it up.
  3. Add a good seasoning of salt and pepper, return the vegetables to the pan along with the cinnamon, thyme and parsley. Next stir in the flour and gradually add the lamb stock, stirring to incorporate. Finally stir in the tomato purée.
  4. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat to low, cook gently for about 30 minutes .
  5. While the meat is cooking, make the topping. Peel the potatoes and cut into even sized chunks, steam until they are completely tender.
  6. Drain the cooked potatoes and mash with the butter and some seasoning (you can use an electric hand whisk, on a low setting, to do this)
  7. When the meat is ready, spoon into a baking dish, level it out, then top, evenly, with the mashed potato. Sprinkle over the leek slices and finally with the cheese.
  8. Bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for about 25 minutes, until the top is crusty and golden.