Spring Lamb Shepherds Pie

• 2 1/4 pounds boneless shoulder of lamb, preferably organic
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 glugs of olive oil
• 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 ounces pancetta, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• A small bunch of fresh rosemary, leaves picked
• 1 x 14 ounce can of plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup lamb or vegetable stock, preferably organic
• 2 1/4 pounds Desiree or other thin-skinned red potatoes
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 knobs of butter

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Trim any large bits of fat off the lamb, then cut the meat into chunks and put small batches into the food processor until minced roughly ground.
3. Place the ground meat in a bowl, then add the flour and seasoning and toss until evenly coated.
4. Heat a large pan and, when its nice and hot, add the olive oil and lamb and fry until browned all over.
5. Add the onion, celery, carrot, pancetta and garlic to the pan, and throw in a large pinch of rosemary leaves and the tomatoes.
6. Pour in the stock and stir well so the mixture doesnt stick to the bottom of the pan.
7. Leave in the same pan or transfer to an ovenproof dish, cover and bake in the oven for an hour.
8. Meanwhile, peel the spuds, boil them in salted water until cooked through, then drain well.
9. Heat the milk gently then pour over the potatoes.
10. Add a knob of butter and mash well until smooth and creamy.
11. Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan.
12. When it starts to bubble, throw in the rosemary and fry until crisp.
13. Drain, and add the rosemary to the mashed potatoes with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
14. Take the lamb out of the oven, spoon over the mashed potatoes, then turn up the temperature to 400F and bake for about 20 minutes or until bubbling and crispy and brown on top.

boneless shoulder of lamb, flour, salt, glugs of olive oil, red onion, celery, carrot, pancetta, garlic, rosemary, tomatoes, lamb, potatoes, milk, butter

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/spring-lamb-shepherdrsquos-pie (may not work)