Lamb & Guinness Shepherd’s Pie

This was by far one of the most successful dishes I made for my baseball boy roommates during Spring Training. As you all know, Ryan loves anything that is pie. Banana cream pie, chicken pot pie, and most certainly shepherd’s pie. It isn’t a dish I grew up on, so I gave myself the prerogative to stray far from traditional flavors. This is obviously a nod to St. Patrick’s Day, but it tastes great and can be eaten any time of the year. I used lamb shoulder in this recipe as opposed to ground lamb, which I think is more common practice. I hate when the meat gets lost in a dish because it’s too broken down. The punch of the Guinness pairs really well with the lamb, but if lamb isn’t your thing, feel free to use beef stew meat instead.

Lamb & Guinness Shepherd’s Pie
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes   Cooking Time: 20 minutes   Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
3 large russet potatoes
1 tbs butter
⅓ – ½ cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
thyme leaves for garnish

1 tbs vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, small dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh rosemary, minced
1 tbs fresh thyme, minced
3 large carrots, peeled and small dice
1 lb lamb shoulder, cut into small pieces
salt and pepper

2 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs flour
1 Guinness beer (16 oz)
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
⅔ cup frozen corn
⅔ cup frozen peas

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large, even sized pieces. Put them in a large pot and cover with cool water by an inch or so. Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
3. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher and add the butter and milk. Continue to mash until they are creamy and to the texture of your liking. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Start the filling by heating a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the oil, onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary and thyme.. Saute for 5 minutes, or until the onions star to caramelize.
5. Season the lamb well with salt and pepper. Add the lamb to the pot and brown on all sides, for roughly 4-5 minutes.
6. Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire, and flour to the pan and stir well to evenly distribute. Cook another 3 minutes. Add the Guinness and stock and stir with a whisk to combine. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to a low simmer. Cook the lamb for 15 minutes. Add the corn and peas (still frozen) to mix and gently stir just to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Spray each of the four ramekins (or a 9 x 9 baking dish) with cooking spray. Evenly distribute the filling among for four ramekins. Top with mashed potatoes, using a spoon to give them a rustic, wavy look in the bowls. Cover each of the dishes with aluminum foil that is sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
8. Bake the shepherd’s pies for 20 minutes on the middle rack in your oven. After the 20 minutes, turn the oven onto the LOW broil setting. Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are a nice golden brown with some crispy edges. Top with fresh thyme to serve.