Shepherd's Pie

How to make it

1. 1BOIL THE POTATOES: place 1 kg peeled and cubed potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water (1 tbsp salt per 2 L), bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook 15–18 minutes until a knife slides through with no resistance; drain and return to the pot off the heat for 2 minutes to steam off, since wet potatoes make wet mash.
2. 2MAKE THE MASH: pass the dry potatoes through a ricer (best for fluffy mash) or mash with a hand masher, then beat in 60 g butter while still hot followed by 100 ml warm milk added in 3 stages, beating between each, and off the heat beat in 2 yolks, 0.5 tsp white pepper and 0.5 tsp salt until the mash is glossy, smooth and stiff enough to hold ridges (if it's too loose the topping will sink); cover with foil to keep warm.
3. 3SWEAT THE VEGETABLES: heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, add 200 g diced onion and 200 g diced carrot with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring often, 8–10 minutes until very soft and the carrots have lost their crunch (they will not soften further once mixed with meat), then stir in 4 minced garlic cloves, thyme and rosemary and cook 1 minute more.
4. 4BROWN THE LAMB: raise the heat to medium-high, add 600 g minced lamb and break it apart with a wooden spoon, then cook 8–10 minutes until the lamb is no longer pink and the released fat has begun to crisp small bits at the bottom of the pan (this Maillard browning is the foundation of the gravy), and spoon off any pooled fat over 1 tbsp, since lamb sheds a lot and too much makes the pie greasy.
5. 5BUILD THE GRAVY: stir 1 tbsp tomato paste into the lamb and cook 1 minute until darkened, sprinkle 2 tbsp flour over and stir 1–2 minutes to cook the raw taste out, then pour in 300 ml hot stock, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp pepper, scraping the bottom of the pan to lift the browned bits.
6. 6SIMMER + PEAS: reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy has thickened to a thick, glossy consistency that coats the meat (it should not be runny, or the mash will sink), then stir in 150 g frozen peas (they will warm through in the oven) and taste and adjust seasoning.
7. 7ASSEMBLE: preheat the oven to 200 °C and transfer the lamb filling to a 23 × 30 cm baking dish (about 2 L capacity), spoon the mash on top in dollops and spread carefully with a spatula sealing all the way to the edges, then drag the tines of a fork in long lines across the surface (these ridges crisp up beautifully in the oven) and scatter 30 g grated cheddar over the top if using.
8. 8BAKE & REST: place the dish on a baking sheet to catch any bubbling drips and bake on the middle rack 25–30 minutes until the top is deeply golden, the ridges are crisp, and the gravy is visibly bubbling around the edges, then rest 10 minutes before serving so the filling sets and slicing is cleaner, and serve straight from the dish with a green salad or buttered cabbage on the side (even better the next day, reheated until piping hot).