Braised-Lamb Shank Shepherd's Pie with Creamed Spinach
- 5 1/2 pounds large lamb shanks (4 large)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 small onions, trimmed and quartered (do not peel)
- 1/2 cup fresh thyme sprigs
- 1/2 cup fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/4 cups beef broth
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 3 pounds russet (baking) potatoes (6)
- 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 5 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Creamed spinach
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Special equipment: a ricer
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Put lamb shanks in a large metal roasting pan, then rub with oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange onion wedges around lamb.
- Roast lamb in middle of oven 40 minutes.
- Turn shanks over, scatter with herb sprigs, and roast 40 minutes more.
- Pour wine, broth, and water into roasting pan.
- Cover pan tightly with foil and braise lamb until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Transfer shanks to a plate and remove and discard skins from onions.
- Pour cooking liquid (including onions) into a large glass measure (do not clean roasting pan).
- Pierce each potato once with a fork and bake on rack in lower third of oven until cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes.
- Cool potatoes 10 minutes, then halve lengthwise and scoop out flesh.
- Force warm potatoes through ricer into a bowl.
- Stir in salt, milk, and pepper to taste.
- Cook carrots in boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Rinse under cold running water to stop cooking.
- Skim fat from cooking liquid (you'll have about 2 1/2 cups broth).
- Whisk together 1 cup broth and flour in a large bowl to make a thin paste, then whisk in remaining broth (including onions).
- Set roasting pan across 2 burners and pour broth mixture into pan.
- Boil over moderate heat, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
- Cut lamb meat from bones, then tear meat into bite-size pieces.
- Stir meat into gravy.
- Reduce oven to 350F.
- Spoon lamb-shank mixture into a 12- by 3-inch oval gratin dish or a 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish, spreading evenly.
- Scatter carrots over lamb, then top with creamed spinach, spreading evenly.
- Top spinach with mashed potatoes, spreading evenly to edges of dish to cover filling completely.
- Make swirl patterns on surface of potatoes with back of spoon, then drizzle with melted butter.
- Put baking dish in a foil-lined shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan to catch drips and bake until top is golden and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour.
lamb shanks, extravirgin olive oil, onions, thyme, rosemary sprigs, white wine, beef broth, water, russet, salt, milk, carrots, allpurpose, spinach, unsalted butter
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/braised-lamb-shank-shepherds-pie-with-creamed-spinach-104641 (may not work)