Shepherd's Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 8 medium potatoes, cut into quarters
• 1 large celery root, peeled and cut into chunks (celeriac)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 lbs ground lamb
• 5 large carrots, peeled, quartered, and chopped
• 2 -3 large parsnips, peeled, quartered, and chopped
• 2 medium leeks, white part only chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb, green and white parts chopped
• 1/8 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning or 1 teaspoon herbes de provence
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400°f.
• 2 boil potatoes and celeriac until fork tender.
• 3 press through a ricer with the butter (or mash them and remove the skins) and set aside. (you can make the potatoes up to 2 days ahead, bring them to almost room temperature before you use them.).
• 4 brown the ground lamb over medium heat until it starts to get caramelized brown on its sides.
• 5 using a slotted spoon, remove from pan and pour out all but a tsp or so of the fat - if there is nothing to pour out that’s ok, just add a little olive oil to the pan.
• 6 add chopped leeks, carrots, parsnips, and fennel to the pan and scrape up anything that’s stuck to the bottom.
• 7 saute over med-high heat until vegetables slightly soften and then sprinkle flour and herbs over them and stir well.
• 8 cook for 2 more minutes (you need to make sure the flour is cooked/integrated).
• 9 turn off the heat.
• 10 return the lamb to the pan and any accumulated juices and mix well.
• 11 pour or spoon the vegetable/lamb mixture into a large casserole and top with the mashed potatoes/celeriac by dotting it on top and smoothing it out (like icing a cake).
• 12 top with cheese and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 mins until slightly golden.