Cottage pie is comfort food personified and this recipe uses chunks of lamb as opposed to mince which makes it more like a great chunky lamb stew with a baked mash crust. It’s really tasty and a complete meal. (6 people easily)
What you need
2kg lamb leg meat cut into smallish chucnks
4 sticks celery roughly chopped
4 carrots roughly chopped
1 onion chopped
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
40g flour
3 cups beef stock
100g tomato paste (2 sachets)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
4 large potatoes chopped into cubes
1/3 cup milk
Parmesan cheese for topping
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
The process
Heat your oven to 180 Celsius.
Heat a little oil in a hot pan and seal the lamb chunks in small batches to brown the outside of each piece. Remove and set aside. You want the pan hot and the meat to brown quickly but not cook through. Don’t be tempted to add too much at a time, it will cool down the pan and the meat will stew.
Wipe the pan clean and heat a little more oil on medium, add the garlic, carrots, celery chunks and onions and cook until the onions are traslucent and beginning to soften nicely.
Now add the flour and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly.
Add back the lamb with all of the juices, the stock and tomato paste. stir it, increase the heat and bring it to the boil. Toss in the bay leaves and worcestershire sauce and simmer for about a minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the entire contents into a baking dish, cover and bake for 1 hour.
Make your mash while the meat is in the oven and when ready, remove from the oven and a spoon over the mash, covering the top with about 5cm layer of mash. Then add the parmesan over the top and bake for 20 to 30 minutes uncovered until the mash has a golden brown crust.
Need another great winter recipe, try this Lamb casserole
Graham, thank you for this site. From now on I will cook food that my hubby can actually enjoy eating not forced to eat, lol
Hi Sipokazi, thats a lucky husband.. I am a regular SA guy and If I like it I am sure he will.. Happy days G
I actually tried this lamb cottage pie, it tasted very nice but it didnt look as nice as your’s does on the pic, it was a bit yelloy, i think i put too much paprika.
Hi Sipokazi, your paprika should make it a dark red if anything.. So glad you enjoyed, G
yep it was definately dark red. Thank again
Hi, is lamb cottage pie not shepherd’s pie? If not, what’s the difference between the two?
Hi Janet, sorry for the late reply, been fishing in Mozambique.
As far as I know shepherds pie and cottage pie are the same thing, just the UK name is shepherds pie.
Happy days G
Hi Janet, I think you are right. Cottage pie is made with beef and shepherds pie is made with lamb or mutton. Regards
Hi Graham!
I am Andrieshia’s hushand, your recipy’s rule bru. Thanks.
Thanks bru, appreciate it, have a lekker day, G
Now Graham this is something totally different never really thought of making a lamb cottage pie but wow this sounds just yummy will have to try it, maybe this weekend if the weather doesn’t pick up, nothing better than comfort food.
It’s a real beaut this one, chunky and delicious, thanks for stopping in again.