Shepherds Pie Using Leftover Roast Lamb

I started writing about my ideas to use up a leg of lamb a few weeks ago but recent events meant that I had to take a little break from this. But now I'm properly back into blogging mode again I will be sharing another lamb related blog post soon plus a few more ideas that I didn't get round to photographing which used up the last of the meat. For now though here is perhaps the quintessential British lamb dish, the shepherds pie, often made with fresh lamb mince but also works equally well with diced leftover roasted leg meat. You could blitz the meat in a food processor if you want to, I'm lazy and also actually quite like having chunks of meat in my pie, plus it means there is less washing up. In order to stretch the meat even further I added a generous amount of vegetables to the sauce. I didn't actually make a proper note of the quantities I used to create this as when I cook this sort of food I tend to keep adding things until it 'looks right'. I know this isn't really very helpful in terms of giving a recipe but I will do my best to remember how much meat and vegetables I used for the pie filling. The cooking time is also quite vague, my intention with this post is to provide inspiration rather than give a specific recipe this time. This is also partly why I decided to focus mainly on baking for this blog as so much of my general cooking really is quite vague but I don't have many disasters.

Ingredients - serves 2 generously

For the filling:
approx 200g cooked, diced roast lamb
large onion, diced
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 carrots, peeled and diced, or 1 if very large
2 parsnips, peeled and diced, or 1 if very large
tin of chopped tomatoes
generous glug of red wine
beef stock cube - might sound weird as this is a lamb dish but it's a tip I picked up off my Mum and it just makes the pie nice and meaty rather than beef flavoured
fresh rosemary sprigs
freshly ground black pepper
oil

For the mash topping:
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
knob of butter
splash of milk
freshly ground black pepper
freshly ground nutmeg

• Start by cooking the potatoes in salted simmering water for about 20 minutes or until tender.
• While the potatoes are cooking get on with the filling. Sweat the onion and garlic in a few tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the carrots and parsnips and cook for a few more minutes. Crumble in the stock cube and stir, add the wine and simmer until reduced. Next add the chopped tomatoes along with the meat, a few sprigs of fresh rosemary and black pepper to taste. I don't add any salt to this as I find it salty enough with the stock cube but go with what your tastebuds tell you and add a little salt if you want. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200C.
• Meanwhile drain the potatoes once tender and then mash with the butter, milk, nutmeg and pepper. 
• Transfer the filling to an ovenproof baking dish and top with the mashed potato and use a fork to make a pattern in the top. If you feel really fancy then you could pipe the potato on top, I still think that's a stage of faffing too far tough. Bake the pie in the oven for around 25 minutes until lightly browned on top. You could also add a little grated cheese as well if you like.
• Serve with green veggies

As this is cheap and cheerful and uses up leftovers I'm entering it into Credit Crunch Munch, run by Camilla and Helen (this month's host) also into my roast dinner leftovers linky. I'm also entering it into Herbs on Saturday this month hosted by London Busy Body and into Simple and in Season, this month hosted by Chez Foti.