This is the best version of Shepherd’s Pie. It is so good, that one of my friends says this is the last meal she ever wants to eat. Every recipe online says it feeds four, but I usually feed eight with it, and still have leftovers. It is very filling, and it’s one of our favorite comfort foods!
Do the Prep Work
Start by preparing all your ingredients. Peel and slice the potatoes. Mince the garlic. Grate the carrot and onion. De-stem the fresh rosemary and thyme (mine comes from the garden!). Trust me, fresh herbs make all the difference in everything, especially in Gordon Ramsay’s Shepherd’s Pie.
Prepare the Mash
Preheat the oven to 400°. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Boil the potatoes for about 20 minutes, or until soft, while you make the filling. You will finish the mash later. The mash makes the dish in Shepherd’s Pie.
Cook the Filling
While your potatoes are boiling, make the filling.
Start by adding a bit of olive oil to a hot skillet. Then, add the ground lamb, and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. Salt and pepper the meat during this part. Gordon Ramsay calls this mince. And it makes sense: you want it to look like it’s all minced up!
Next, add the herbs and garlic. Cook for about 30 more seconds. Add the grated carrot and onion, and cook about 5 more minutes. Your Shepherd’s Pie is starting to come together now.
Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well, and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed.
Finally, add the wine. Cook it down for a few more minutes.
Finish the Mash
Once your filling is done, you need to finish the mash. Start by straining the potatoes, getting as much water off as you can. Then, return the potatoes to the pot, and let the water evaporate over heat. This usually takes a couple minutes, and it really makes a difference. I do this every time I make mashed potatoes.
It’s time to mash! You can use a potato masher, but if you have a ricer, that works some magic. Run the potatoes through the ricer over a large bowl.
Next, add your cream, butter, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then add the egg yolks. This will help to unify the fat and water, making a creamier mash. Add the parmesan cheese, and you are ready to layer in a baking dish.
Assemble the Shepherd’s Pie
Then, add the filling to a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. If you have small, individual sized baking dishes, you can use those instead. I bought a set on sale last year for our neighborhood progressive dinner to make individual lasagnas. Now, I look for any excuse to use them!
Add the mashed potatoes to the top. Spread the mash evenly over the filling, making sure it is completely covered.
Sprinkle a light layer of grated parmesan cheese over the top, and pop it into the oven, at 400°, for about 20 minutes, or until it is nicely browned on top.
Serve with some Irish Soda Bread and a crisp green salad, and don’t forget to…
Pour the Wine!
There are so many great options for wine with Shepherd’s Pie! It is a rich dish, and a heavy wine pairs nicely. Tonight, we chose a Sagrantino from VJB Cellars to add to the Shepherd’s pie. It is very tannic, which complements the lamb. According to the internet, there are only 75 acres planted in the US. VJB gets their grapes from Mendocino County. Of course we finished off the bottle with dinner.
To serve with the Shepherd’s Pie, we chose a Russian River Pinot Noir from Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery. This pinot is from a vineyard with a cool mountain climate. The foresty undertones complement the lamb perfectly. (Also, Gary Farrell has the BEST pick up parties! They bring in a chef each time who prepares so many tasty bites to go with the wines!)
Gordon Ramsay’s Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
The Filling
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb ground lamb
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 large onion, grated
- fresh rosemary, minced
- fresh thyme, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- salt
- pepper
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 small can Tomato paste
- 1/2 cup red wine
The Mash
- 1 1/2 lb golden potatoes
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 Tbsp butter
- salt
- pepper
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
Prep Work
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Mince the garlic.
- Remove rosemary and thyme from stems and mince.
- Grate the onion and carrot using a box grater or food processor.
- Peel and slice potatoes into even pieces. Start the potatoes in a boiling pot of well salted water. They need to cook until soft, about 20 minutes, while you make the filling.
The Filling
- Put olive oil in a large skillet and heat.
- Add the ground lamb and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks with a wooden spoon.
- Salt and pepper the lamb liberally as it cooks.
- Add rosemary, thyme, and garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the carrot and onion and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes. Add more salt and pepper.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, stir, then add tomato paste, and stir again.
- Add red wine (I use whatever medium to full bodied that we're drinking. Varietal doesn't change the flavor much, but I prefer a Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon.), and let it cook down for a couple more minutes.
- Taste the filling and add salt and pepper as needed.
- When the filling is done, put it in a 9" x 13" ish baking dish.
The Mash
- When the potatoes are soft, drain them, then return to the pan.
- Keep the heat on, and let the excess water evaporate. You can mash them in the pan, or run them through a ricer.
- Add the cream, butter, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Add the egg yolks. Mix.
- Add the parmesan cheese. Mix.
Assembly and Baking
- Spoon the mash onto the top of the filling, making sure to cover the filling completely and evenly.
- Using a fork, fluff the mash up a bit, then add more parmesan cheese to the top in a light layer.
- Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes until it is nicely browned. Serve!
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