Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Pehli Raat



-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Shepherd's Pie


Churned this one out of my own old Shepard's pie recipe & left over thanksgiving protein, in my case : grilled lamb. This was very exciting since I was also inaugurating my new [black friday]dutch oven.

Serves 6

Ingredients :
Lamb Rue: 
2 lbs lamb - grillled , chopped into 3/4" cubes ( best substitute would be beef tips or grilled chicken breast )
1 tblspn butter
3/4 cup meat stock - I used chicken stock, any other stock will do
2 tblspns A1 steak sauce
1 tblspn all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

MirePoix:
1.5 Cups chopped red onion 
5 cloves of garlic - sliced
2 sticks of cinnamon
1 Cup diced celery 
3/4 Cup diced carrot
1/2 Cup of spring onions
2 tblspns of olive oil
1/2 tsp each of dried oregano , thyme & rosemary
1 tsp of flavored salt - I used celery salt.
1 heaping tsp of crushed black pepper - adjust to taste
2 tblspns hot sauce

Mash Potato:
5 big potatoes - boiled
1 tblspn butter
1 cup of goat cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup of cheddar
1-3 tblspns of milk

Use a 5.5 Qt heavy bottom pan - preferably a dutch oven for the main dish ( or something that can also be used in the oven) & a cast iron skillet for making the lamb rue. If you dont have a heavy bottom pan that is oven safe, transfer the lamb mixture into a baking dish before putting the mash potato on top.

Method:
Heat oil in heavy bottom pan and add garlic & cinnamon sticks. Fry the garlic for minute and then add the onions. Let the onions cook until soft and transparent - stirring occasionally. Now add the spring onions , carrot , celery , herbs , salt & pepper and let cook for 3-4 minutes. 
Meanwhile heat another heavy bottom skillet and add lamb. Leave the lamb on the skillet for a couple minutes until it starts to stick to the bottom. Once that happens, remove the lamb ( without removing the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan ). 
Stir the lamb & hot sauce into the onion mixture stirring occasionally. 
Add the butter & flour to the skillet and scrape all the bits of the bottom of the pan. Let the flour cook for about a minute before adding in the stock , salt & steak sauce. Allow the sauce to thicken for about 5-6 minutes. Add the sauce to the lamb & onion mixture and let cook for about 10 minutes. 
On the side, peel and mash the potatoes with butter. Then add in the cheese , salt and pepper and mash again.  Add 1 tblspn of milk at a time until the mash potato reaches a spreadable consistency.
Spread the mash potato over the lamb in the heavy bottom pan such that it forms a 1" ( or more ) layer over the lamb. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on the top and place the pan in the oven while setting the oven to broil. Leave in there only for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese melts and browns ( dont leave it for more than that or you'll land up with burnt cheese like mine !! ).
Serve with toasted pumpernickel bread.