Lamb is an underused ingredient in America. In Europe, in the Middle East and even in the Antipodes, lamb is extremely popular. But here it’s an afterthought. Why is that? I know many people claim not to like the taste of lamb, and it does have a distinctive taste. But my belief is that Americans do not like the taste of lamb because they are so unused to it. Eat more lamb and you will get used to the taste.
My husband is among those who are unsure about the taste of lamb. But since he doesn’t eat fish and won’t eat pork, I have basically laid down the law on lamb. You have to give a girl something to work with. What I have found is that ground lamb has a milder taste than lamb chops or leg of lamb. And for that reason, ground lamb is a great way to gently introduce lamb to the uninitiated and the unsure.
If you really want to convince someone of the virtues of lamb, you could hardly do better than Shepherd’s Pie: a comforting, hearty casserole of seasoned ground lamb and vegetables topped with a mashed potato crust. (You can make this dish with ground beef but then it is called Cottage Pie. You need lamb for shepherds. Get it?) This is about as close to comfort food as it gets.
I’m sure that Shepherd’s Pie started as a way to use up leftovers, but how often do you really have leftover mashed potatoes? My guess is once a year on the day after Thanksgiving. So when I make Shepherd’s Pie for my family — and it is among their most requested meals — I have to make all the components from scratch. It is not a quick and easy project; I won’t lie. But for a Sunday dinner or other nice family meal, Shepherd’s Pie is worth the effort.
My version of Shepherd’s Pie has a few distinctive touches. First, in the filling, in lieu of broth, I use a bottle of beer. Hence the Drunken Shepherd of the title. I like the slightly bitter, earthy note that the beer adds. I also make the mashed potato crust more interesting (and mildly healthier) by mixing in mashed parsnips. Neither adaptation strikes me as particularly heretical. Shepherd’s Pie is classic British Isles fare and those in the British Isles enjoy both beer and parsnips on a regular basis.
Does your family enjoy lamb? Do you think you could convince them to try this Shepherd’s Pie? I bet you could.
- 2 TB olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 ribs celery, sliced
- 1¼ lbs. ground lamb
- 1 tsp each cumin and coriander
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 TB tomato paste
- Worcestershire sauce
- 12 oz beer
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1½ lbs. Yukon Gold or other waxy potatoes, cut into chunks
- 6 small to medium parsnips, cut into chunks
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 6 TB butter
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and sauté until softened, about ten minutes. Season with cumin, coriander and salt and pepper and sauté a few additional minutes until fragrant.
- Add the ground lamb and sauté until browned, stirring frequently.
- Drain off the fat and add the tomato paste, beer, four dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and peas stirring to combine.
- Turn the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until thickened, about ten to fifteen minutes. Add the chopped parsley.
- Pour meat and vegetables into a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place the potatoes and parsnips in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Season with salt. Bring water to a boil, turn down heat and simmer partially covered until the vegetables are tender and cooked through, about fifteen minutes. Drain.
- Combine the milk and butter in a small saucepan and heat just to a simmer.
- Rice the potatoes and parsnips with a potato ricer OR return the drained potatoes and parsnips to the saucepan and mash them with a potato masher until smooth. (If the parsnips have a woody core, simply remove it.)
- Add half the butter-milk mixture to the potatoes and parsnips and stir or mash to combine. Season well with salt and pepper. Taste and add more butter and milk if desired.
- Spread the mashed potatoes and parsnips on top of the meat and vegetables. Make cross-hatch pattern on the top with a fork if desired.
- Bake the Shepherd's Pie for 35-40 minutes or until the crust begins to brown.
- Serve
Until I began raising sheep 13 years ago, I didn’t realize how breed-specific lamb flavor is. Some breeds, notably the longer, “coarser” wool breeds, tend to have more delicate flavor with less grease content. So if you can find local farmers raising those breeds you might be very surprised!