Introduction
We’ve already explored the beautiful, homely combination which is lamb and hashed potatoes, but time to revisit it! Lamb packs so much flavour, and with a little wine and root veg, you have a dish that’s incredibly rich and filling. I almost like to think of this as a variation on the Shepherd’s Pie.
With this dish, the final touches to the sauce belong to you. Use a herb of your choice – mint is of course the classic lamb flavour, I also like rosemary. If you’d like it a little spicy add some chili flakes or powder.
Ingredients
- Lamb steak, cubed.
- Potato
- Red Wine
- Stock
- Onion
- Root Vegetables (I used parsnips and sweet potato, as well as a few peas)
- Seasoning and Herbs
- Flour
- Oil
I also added a little bacon to the shredded potatoes – delightful!
Method
- Slice the onions and fry in a little oil until brown.
- Add the cubed lamb and continue to cook so that it browns all over the outside – however, be careful not to cook it fully too quickly as this will make it tough.
- Add a couple of heaped tbsp flour and coat the meat. Not only will this help it brown further, it will mix with the fat and help ensure the sauce is thick.
- Add the vegetables and herbs and allow to cook for a further few minutes, keeping the mixture moving so nothing sticks or burns.
- Pour in the red wine and simmer until it thoroughly reduces and thickens.
- Pour in the stock and simmer over a low heat with the lid on. Stir occasionally. As it reduces and the vegetables cook it will thicken. If you would like it to thicken faster, remove the lid after a while.
- While the stew cooks, grate the potato.
- You need to get the starch out. There are a few methods for this. I put the potato in a sieve and run under warm water for a few minutes whilst pressing, squeezing and mixing the potato around. Alternatively you can put it in a bowl and fill/drain with water a few times.
- When the potato is de-starched, dry it thoroughly. Put into a cloth or towel and squeeze until no more water comes out, then lay out to air dry the rest.
- Put in a bowl and season with a little salt and pepper, then a spoonful or two of oil.
- When the stew has thickened significantly, taste and adjust seasoning – a splash of vinegar, some salt/pepper, chili flakes etc. can all bring out the flavours pretty well. Experiment a little!
- When you’re satisfied with the stew, transfer to a casserole dish and top with the shredded potatoes. Put under the grill at a medium high heat until it is golden brown.
Serving and Storage
This is great on its own, maybe with a little spoonful of mint sauce or some extra vegetables on the side. As I said, it’s very rich and filling so you don’t need much more.
This will keep happily in the fridge for a few days, but the potato won’t stay crisp after reheating.
