Lamb Shank Shepherd’s Pie
Hot off the press! This enticing twist on a traditional Sheperd’s Pie is fresh out of chef Craig Flinn’s latest cook book, Out of New Nova Scotia Kitchens.
Ingredients
| 6 | lamb shanks (12 oz or 340 g each) |
| 1/2 cup | flour |
| 1/2 cup | vegetable oil |
| 2 | onions, coarsely chopped |
| 2 | stalks of celery, coarsely chopped |
| 2 | medium sized carrots, coarsely chopped |
| 2 tbsp | tomato paste |
| 2 cups | medium bodied red wine (we suggest: try a Nova Scotia red) |
| 2 cups | lamb or beef broth |
| 6 sprigs | fresh thyme |
| 6 sprigs | fresh mint |
| 4 | bay leaves |
*For your vegetables, shop local at Stirling Fruit Farms, Masstown Market, Noggins Corner Farm Market or your closest Farmers’ Market.
Directions
- It is ideal to make this in one pot, preferably one that has a tight fitting lid and can hold everything in it.
- Dredge the shanks in the flour and roast them in the oil until golden brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and rest on a plate for a few minutes.
- Sauté the onions, celery, and carrots for 10 minutes until slightly caramelized. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Deglaze the pan with sherry and red wine and bring to a boil. Add all remaining ingredients, including the shanks, back into the pot. There should be enough liquid to completely cover the shanks.
- Bring to a boil and transfer to a 300 F oven and braise, covered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- Remove from oven and let shanks set in the braising liquid for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Remove the shanks using a slotted spoon and transfer to another tray.
- Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan and reduce over medium heat by half until the sauce will coat the back of a wooden spoon. Season the sauce with a little salt and pepper after the reduction is complete to ensure the sauce is not too salty.
- Pick all the meat off the shanks and discard the bone. Fill the bottom of a large casserole dish with the picked lamb meat, then cover with enough sauce to moisten the meat but reserving a little for serving later (it should take about 2 cups of sauce).
- Top the casserole with the potatoes from the recipe below and add several knobs of butter to the top of the dish just before it goes into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 F until the potatoes are browned and crispy on top.
Ingredients
For the potatoes (on top of lamb)
| 3 lbs | potatoes (we suggest: Noggins Corner Market) |
| 1/2 lb (225 g) | butter |
| 1/4 cup | milk (we suggest: Fox Hill Cheese House) |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| 1 tsp | pepper |
| 2 cups | grated smoked gouda cheese (we suggest: Fox Hill Cheese House) |
Directions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
- Cut the potatoes in half and cook them fully, then strain.
- Place them back into the pot and add the butter, milk, salt, and pepper.
- Mash with a potato masher until somewhat smooth, then fold in the grated cheese.
- Spoon this over the lamb meat in the casserole dish as described above.
Ingredients
For the minted peas and roasted carrots (on top of potatoes)
| 1 lb | fresh baby carrots |
| 1 tbsp | extra virgin olive oil |
| 2 tbsp | liquid honey (we suggest: Cornect Family Farm) |
| 1 cup | freshly shucked peas |
| 2 tbsp | butter |
| 1 tsp | chopped mint |
| salt/pepper | for seasoning |
Directions
- Toss the baby carrots in the oil and liquid honey until well coated, then roast in a 400 F oven until slightly caramelized. This should take about 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and cook the peas for 5 minutes until tender but still a little firm.
- Strain them and add them to a sauté pan with the butter and fresh mint, plus a tablespoon of water.
- Cook them over high heat until the water evaporates and the butter glazes the peas.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe provided by: From Chef Craig Flinn’s new cook book, Out of New Nova Scotia Kitchens – 2 Doors Down and Chives Canadian Bistro