Fragrant Shepherd's Pie with Apricots

Name: Fragrant Shepherd's Pie with Apricots
Prep time: 3 h 50 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: british
Ingredients: 1kg minced lamb; 2 onions roughly chopped; finger length piece fresh root ginger; 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped; 1 tbsp cumin; 2 tbsp cinnamon; 1/2 tsp hot chilli powder; 1 tbsp olive oil; 6 large tomatoes roughly chopped; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 1 tbsp honey; 550ml lamb or beef stock; 200g dried apricot chopped; large bunch coriander leaves only, roughly chopped; 1 1/4kg sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks; 1 1/4kg potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks; 50g butter; splash of milk; toasted cumin seeds to serve

4.70 (23)

⏱ 150 mins 🍽 Serves 8 🌶 british ✅ Easy 🏷 Main course

This British main course puts a fragrant spin on the traditional shepherd's pie. Minced lamb is cooked with warming spices, tomatoes, and dried apricots to create a rich, sweet-savoury filling. It's topped with a creamy mash of sweet and regular potatoes, then baked until golden. Ideal for dinner, this dish serves eight and can be prepared ahead of time, making it a convenient crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

1kg minced lamb
2 onions roughly chopped
finger length piece fresh root ginger
2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
1 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tbsp olive oil
6 large tomatoes roughly chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp honey
550ml lamb or beef stock
200g dried apricot chopped
large bunch coriander leaves only, roughly chopped
1 1/4kg sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/4kg potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks
50g butter
splash of milk
toasted cumin seeds to serve

Method

Brown the lamb in batches in a large, deep pan without adding oil. Transfer each batch to a sieve to drain fat, wiping the pan between batches. Set the mince aside. Blend the onions, ginger, garlic, and spices in a processor until finely chopped, adding a drop of water if needed. Cook this mixture with the oil in the same pan for 5-6 mins until softened and fragrant.
Put the meat back into the pan with the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, honey, and stock. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 1 hr, adding the apricots after 30 mins. Cook until the lamb and apricots are tender and the sauce is thick. If needed, simmer uncovered for another 10 mins. Take off the heat, stir in the coriander, and season well.
While the lamb cooks, make the topping. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 mins until tender. Drain them thoroughly, then mash with the butter, seasoning, and a splash of milk to achieve a creamy texture.
Set your oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Transfer the lamb mixture into a large ovenproof dish. Roughly pile the mash on top, working from the edges towards the centre. To make ahead, cool and freeze the pie uncovered at this stage. Once frozen, cover with cling film and use within 1 month, defrosting fully before reheating.
Bake for 40 mins from warm, or for 1 hr from cold, until the topping starts to brown and the filling is hot. Optionally, serve scattered with toasted cumin seeds.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories662 kcal

Fat26 g

Saturates12 g

Carbs79 g

Sugars28 g

Fibre9 g

Protein34 g

Sodium388 mg

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy

CategoryMain course

Cuisinebritish