Classic Shepherd’s Pie -- The Sunday Dinner That Tastes Like Every Table I’ve Ever Sat At

Nine weeks until the wedding. I wrote that number down this morning and stared at it for a moment. Nine. That is not very many. That is the kind of number that has a different weight when you write it than when you say it out loud, and both weights are significant.

We had our final meeting with the caterer this week to confirm the menu details and the final head count, which ended up at a hundred and eight confirmed guests, which is within Maureen's predicted range. The menu is finalized: clam chowder first, Caesar salad, salmon with dill sauce and filet of beef for the main, mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables, the wedding cake that I have selected and which Sean D. has been told about but not shown because I have some traditional instincts after all. There will be an open bar of the duration that Sean Sr. requested, which I continue to respect.

At work I had a good week. Patricia came in for her last scheduled treatment round on Wednesday, and she was in good spirits and brought a Tupperware of the ginger broth — "the one you gave me" — for the nurses' station. "I made enough for the floor," she said. It was perfectly made: clear and warm with just enough ginger heat to feel like medicine without being medicinal. The whole floor had it. I thought about what it meant that she made it for us, and I thought about all the times patients and families have brought food to the nurses' station, and I thought: there is something in this exchange that is about more than nutrition.

Made a shepherd's pie on Sunday — the full version, with ground lamb and a proper mashed potato crust browned under the broiler. It is the most reliably satisfying thing I know how to cook. It tastes like Southie and home and every Sunday dinner since I was old enough to eat at the table.

With nine weeks out and the caterer confirmed and the menu locked in and work being what it is, Sunday was the day I got to just cook for myself. No decisions, no head counts, no checking on anyone. Just lamb and potatoes and the broiler doing its job. This is the shepherd’s pie I made — the one that doesn’t need a reason, just a Sunday.

Classic Shepherd’s Pie

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/3 cup whole milk, warmed
• 1 egg yolk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes. Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot.
2. Mash the potatoes. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the warm milk, and the egg yolk to the drained potatoes. Mash until smooth and creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper. The egg yolk helps the crust brown beautifully under the broiler. Set aside.
3. Cook the lamb filling. While the potatoes cook, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.
4. Build the base. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet with the lamb. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
5. Add the liquids. Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add the thyme and rosemary. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and cook until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
6. Top with mashed potatoes. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the lamb filling, starting from the edges and working inward to create a seal. Use the back of a fork to create ridges across the surface — these ridges are what crisp and brown under the broiler.
7. Broil until golden. Position an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler element. Set the broiler to high. Place the skillet under the broiler and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully, until the potato crust is golden brown with dark spots on the ridges. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 485 | Protein: 27g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 36g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 420mg