2 ½ cups yellow onion, chopped (360g)
2 cups carrot, sliced (245g)
1 ⅔ cups parsnip, finely diced (217g)
2 cups roasted lamb leg or mutton, cubed (300g)
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced (292g)
¼ cup all-purpose flour (30g)
2 cups beef stock (500 ml)
½ cup lamb drippings or beef stock (118 ml)
2 tablespoons fresh curly parsley, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Finely chop the onions, carrots, and parsnips and cube the roasted lamb.Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat, then saute the onions until soft. Add the carrots and parsnips and saute for a couple minutes longer.Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two, then pour in the lamb drippings and beef stock and stir to combine.Let the mixture simmer while you peel and cube the potatoes, then add them and the cubed lamb to the mixture.Mince the fresh parsley and chop the thyme leaves. Season the lamb filling with the fresh herbs, Worcestershire sauce, and freshly ground black pepper.Let the filling simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend and the potatoes to cook until fork tender.Spoon the cooked filling into a 6-cup (1.5 litre) enamel dish and set aside to cool slightly as you make the pastry.
Sweet Potato Mash Topping
1 kg sweet potatoes chopped into small chunks (leave the skins on for added goodness)
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
Curried Lamb Filling
2 tablespoons grape seed or olive oil
1 onion diced
500 g lamb mince or 500g of leftover lamb
3 cloves garlic crushed or grated
3 cm fresh ginger grated
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (or to taste)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Put the sweet potato chunks into a large saucepan and pour over enough boiling water to cover, bring back to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes until the sweet potato is tender. Drain and mash with a little salt and pepper.
While the sweet potato is cooking, put the oil in a wide, shallow grill proof pan (I used a cast iron sauté pan) and add the onions, fry on a low heat with the lid on for 3 minutes until softened.
Remove the lid and turn up the heat. Add the lamb mince and brown for 3 minutes, then turn the heat back down again and add the garlic, ginger, chilli, cumin, turmeric and garam masala, cook for a further 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn your grill on to medium-high to heat up.
Remove the mince from the heat and spread the mashed sweet potato over the top – place under the pre-heated grill for 10 minutes until nicely browned on top. If your grill is a bit uneven, the pie might need to be turned around after 5 minutes to ensure even browning.
While the shepherd’s pie is under the grill, quickly cook your peas (or whatever vegetable you are having to accompany your shepherd’s pie).
When the pie is nicely browned on top, serve with the veggies and any pickles or chutneys you like.
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
80 grams pancetta or bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
sea salt and ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
100 grams crushed and sieved tomatoes
2 teaspoons caster sugar
¼ cup cream
½ cup white wine
3-3½ cups leftover (ideally slow-roasted) lamb
½ cup black olives, halved and pitted
TO SERVE
hot cooked pappardelle or tagliatelle
125-gram ball buffalo mozzarella, well drained and torn
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
METHOD
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the pancetta or bacon and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onion, chilli flakes and rosemary, season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes until just soft.
Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute then add the tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar, cream and wine and stir to combine.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, then add the lamb and olives, reserving a few olives for garnish. Cook for a further 5 minutes until the lamb is heated through or, if you have super tender slow-cooked lamb shoulder like I did, reheat it wrapped in foil in the oven at 160°C for 20 minutes then shred it into the sauce and stir through.
TO SERVE: Serve the lamb ragù over hot pappardelle or tagliatelle and top with buffalo mozzarella and parsley.
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 medium eggplants (600g) coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
200g button mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 ripe roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup (260g) tomato passata
2 3/4 cups (500g) cooked, shredded leftover lamb chopped
1/3 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Yoghurt topping
4 egg yolks
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups (420g) Greek yoghurt
1 1/2 cups (120g) Parmesan, finely grated
Preheat oven to 200 C/180 C fan
Place four shallow 2 cup (500ml) ovenproof dishes on an oven tray
Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan over high heat
Cook half the eggplant, stirring for 3 mins or until golden and tender
Repeat with remaining eggplant and another 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil
Remove from pan
Heat remaining oil in same frying pan over medium heat
Cook onion, stirring for 2 mins or until lightly golden
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring for a further 5 mins or until browned
Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato passata, 1/2 cup water and lamb
Bring to boil and simmer, uncovered for 10 mins
Stir eggplant and 1/4 cup of parsley into tomato mixture. Season
Spoon mixture into dishes
To make yoghurt topping, combine egg yolks, whole eggs, yoghurt and 1 cup of parmesan in a medium bowl
Spoon topping on eggplant mixture sprinkling over the remaining parmesan
Bake for 15 mins or until golden
Serve topped with the remaining parsley
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 red capsicum, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp allspice
1 1/2 cups roast beef finely chopped
1/2 cup passata
2 sheets puff pastry, halved lengthwise
100g feta
coriander leaves and salad to serve
Preheat oven to 200 C
Line 2 oven trays with baking paper
In a frying pan, heat oil on medium
Saute onion and capsicum for 3-4 mins
Stir in garlic and allspice, cooking for 1 min
Add lamb and passata
Bring to simmer, cool slightly
Place pastry sheets on tray
Spread quarter lamb mixture down centre of each, leaving 3cm border on all sides, fold over long sides and pinch ends together to form canoe shape
Crumble quarter feta over each
Bake for 15-20 mins or until pastry is puffed and golden
Sprinkle with coriander