Our food editors agree that this is one of the best-tasting and most elegant shepherd's pies they've ever had. The recipe is not as complicated as it appears at first glance—the different components all come together to make a complete meal in a single dish. The potatoes are stiffer than the average mash because they will be forming the crust for the pie.
• Lamb shanks can be made 1 day ahead of assembling shepherd's pie and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.
• Mashed potatoes can be made 1 day ahead of assembling shepherd's pie and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.
• Shepherd's pie can be assembled (before being drizzled with melted butter) 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before drizzling with butter and baking.
Recipe information
Total Time
5 1/2 hr
Yield
Makes 6 (generous) servings
Ingredients
Special Equipment
Preparation
Prepare lamb:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Step 2
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.
Step 3
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).
Prepare potatoes and boil carrots while lamb roasts:
Step 4
Pierce each potato once with a fork and bake on rack in lower third of oven until cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes.
Step 5
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.
Step 6
Cook carrots in boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Rinse under cold running water to stop cooking.
Make gravy:
Step 7
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.
Step 8
Cut lamb meat from bones, then tear meat into bite-size pieces. Stir meat into gravy.
Assemble and bake pie:
Step 9
Reduce oven to 350°F.
Step 10
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.
Step 11
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.
