Shepherd's Pie

OK, so it's back to my roots for this one. Had a lamb leg roast the other night, resulting in... leftover roast lamb. For some reason it didn't occur to me at first (maybe I have lost some of my English...), but the perfect use for leftover roast lamb is... Shepherd's Pie! For those of you rubbing your heads thinking 'lamb?' yes, Shepherd's Pie is traditionally made with lamb. Think about it... Not beef - that would be a 'cottage pie'.

This recipe is an amalgam of a few different ones, with a couple of adjustments of my own. It is not completely authentic, but it is good.

Start by boiling your potatoes for the mash. My pie was baked in a 9x5 inch pyrex loaf pan. I used between 1-1.5lb potatoes. I ended up with a thicker layer of mash than I needed so I would suggest that 1 lb potatoes is plenty for this recipe. I would recommend russets or chef potatoes (or any other kind of 'floury' potato). Peel them, cut them into roughly even-sized chunks and boil in salted water until cooked through. Drain in a colander, and allow to sit for a few minutes to lose some moisture. As they are sitting, heat up 1/4 -1/2 cup cream or milk until hot, and cut into small pieces 2 tbsp butter. Either mash your potatoes with a hand-held masher (or fork) - this will result in a chunky mash - or push through a food mill - this will result in a smooth mash. Incorporate your cream or milk, butter and a little salt and pepper to taste. I also stirred in a small amount of grated cheddar.

While the potatoes are boiling, you can make your filling. Chop your leftover roast lamb (I used about 10 oz, but the amount does not have to be precise) into pea-sized chunks and set aside. Chop 1 onion finely, and sweat in vegetable oil with 1 clove of garlic, minced and 1 carrot, peeled and diced very small. Add a little salt and cook gently until the carrot is soft. Add the lamb, turn up the heat a little, and make sure it browns all over. Stir in any leftover gravy or stock from your roast (or use water), 1/4 cup wine (I used white, but red is even better), 1 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 - 1/2 cup frozen corn. Simmer until the liquid thickens a little and develops a nice flavor (add salt and pepper as needed). Tip into the bottom of your pie dish.

Spread your mash over your filling. Rough up the surface with a fork and cut up 1 tbsp butter into 'dots', sprinkling them over the top. Either bake now at 450 F for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the mash browned, or refrigerate and bake later, at the same temperature, but for longer - up to 40 minutes. Enjoy!

Note - Metric Info: 9 in = 23cm; 5 in = 13cm; 1 lb  = 450g; 1/4 cup = 60ml; 1/2 cup = 120ml; 450 F = 230 C.

Potato Leek Soup

OK, so I know it's almost summer (at least where I am), and I'm still making soups. However, there are two cool things about this soup. First, with some small adjustments, it can be served cold, as Vichyssoise. Second, it uses up leftover mashed potatoes in your fridge (it can also be made with raw potatoes).

Start by slicing half a leek crosswise into half moons. Transfer the pieces into a bowl of cold water. Swish them around a few times and remove with your hands to a strainer (this leaves any dirt in the bowl). Allow to drain for a minute, then put into a pan with 1 tbsp butter and half an onion, diced, and sweat until soft. At this point, add 1 clove of garlic, minced and sweat for a few more minutes until softened.

Next, add about 3 cups of mashed potatoes (the amount does not have to be exact), and water to cover the potatoes generously. Throw in a bay leaf and a pinch of thyme, if you have them. Simmer for a while (at least 20 minutes) to allow the flavors to meld. Remove the bay leaf. Blend the soup (take care, especially if using a stand blender, to avoid spraying hot food everywhere - small batches are best). Add up to 1/2 cup cream (you decide how creamy you want it), and some more water if it seems too thick (depending on your preference). Bring back to a simmer, season (and taste and adjust) and serve. You could garnish the soup with chives and/or any kind of salty pork product - bacon, prosciutto, pancetta etc. Enjoy!

Note 1 - To make vichyssoise (cold potato leek soup), you will need to thin the soup more (with cream and/or water), strain through a fine strainer and chill it in the refrigerator. Once cold, check the consistency (it should be like whipping (single) cream) and the seasoning, and adjust as necessary.

Note 2 - If you have no mashed potatoes, substitute peeled, cubed raw potatoes. About 2 cups would probably work, but again, quantities are not that important. Simmer a little longer - at least 30 minutes, and make sure that the potatoes are fully cooked before blending. You will need more water too.

Note 3 - Metric info: 3 cups = about 700 ml; 1/2 cup = 120 ml; 2 cups = 480 ml.