Lamb And Eggplant Shepherds Pie Recipe Epicuriouscom

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
• 2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil, then add the onion, carrot, and meat. Cook until browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
• 3. Drain the fat and add the broth, tomato paste, and herbs. Simmer until the juices thicken, about 10 minutes, then add the peas.
• 4. Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish; set aside.
• 5. Meanwhile, bring the potatoes to a boil in salted water. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes; drain.
• 6. Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk, and salt.
• 7. Spread them over the meat mixture, then crosshatch the top with a fork.
• 8. Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

Steps:

• Prepare lamb:
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• 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).
• Prepare potatoes and boil carrots while lamb roasts:
• 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.
• Make gravy:
• 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.
• Assemble and bake pie:
• Reduce oven to 350°F.
• 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.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350° F/ 180° C/Gas 4. Place a large, wide frying pan or hob-proof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Add a dash of oil and fry the mince in batches, seasoning each lot, until well browned. Add the garlic for the last 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Put a little more oil in the same pan and cook the onion and leeks over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until completely softened. Add Worcestershire sauce to taste, then stir in the tomato purée.
• Return the mince to the pan and stir well. Pour in the wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom. Bubble for a couple of minutes to burn off the alcohol, then add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, then add the rosemary and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Cook gently for 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly and the flavours are well-combined. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Boil the potatoes until tender, then drain and mash until smooth. Mix in the butter and seasoning, then add the spring onions and three-quarters of the cheese and mix again. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. If the mash is too dry add a splash of milk to loosen.
• Put the lamb mixture into a 28 x 22cm baking dish and top with the mashed potato. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and little salt and pepper. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potato is golden brown and the meat is bubbling underneath, and serve.

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt and toss. Let stand for 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Mash potatoes with sour cream and butter; set aside. , Rinse eggplant and drain well. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat. In a skillet, cook eggplant in oil over medium heat until browned and oil is absorbed. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish., In the same skillet, cook lamb and turkey over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, onion, parsley and seasonings. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Pour over eggplant; sprinkle with feta cheese. Spread mashed potatoes over the top. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until top begins to brown. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander set in a bowl or the sink; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let eggplant stand for at least 1 hour. Rinse off the bitter liquid and excess salt and drain well.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent and celery is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooking, combine ground cumin, oregano, rosemary, paprika, mint, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and mix well; this is the lamb seasoning (see Cook's Note). Set seasoning aside.
• Stir eggplant cubes and garlic into the vegetables in the skillet, mixing well, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the lamb seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining seasoning. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Pour chicken broth and half the can of tomato sauce into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes; add a little water if the sauce starts to get dry. Transfer the sauce to the prepared casserole dish.
• Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and heat the reserved tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place ground lamb into skillet and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Brown lamb in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until the meat is evenly browned; it should look like imperfect meatballs.
• Gently transfer the lamb to the casserole dish, pushing it down into the vegetable mixture so that it is at least partially submerged. Stir fresh lemon juice into the remaining tomato sauce and pour the sauce over the casserole.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon how tender you like your vegetables.

Steps:

• For filling: Scatter eggplant on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt; let stand 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Rinse eggplant and pat very dry. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. Sprinkle lamb generously with coarse salt and pepper, then dust with flour to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add half of lamb. Sauté until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer lamb to large bowl. Repeat with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining lamb. Add 1 additional tablespoon oil to same pot, if needed. Add onions. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until very tender, about 10 minutes (bottom of pot will be very dark). Add wine to pot. Increase heat and boil until wine evaporates, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, broth, garlic, and oregano and bring to boil. Add lamb with any accumulated juices. Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour. Uncover and continue to simmer until lamb is very tender and gravy thickens slightly, about 45 minutes. Stir in eggplant. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and chill. For topping: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 14 minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter with oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add milk and bring to simmer. Drain potatoes. Return to pot. Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates. Add milk mixture and mash potatoes until just smooth. Stir in cheese. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Drop potatoes over filling by heaping tablespoonfuls, covering completely. Bake pie until filling is heated through and topping is golden, about 45 minutes. * A firm white cheese made from sheep's milk; available at many supermarkets and at Greek markets and some Italian markets.

Steps:

• Make the lamb mixture
• In a colander sprinkle the eggplant with salt and let it drain for 30 minutes. In a large skillet heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over moderate heat, in it cook the eggplant, patted dry, in batches, stirring, for 15 minutes, or until it is tender but still holds its shape, and transfer it with a slotted spoon to a bowl. In the skillet heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat and in it cook the onion, stirring, until it is softened. Add the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the lamb and cook the mixture, stirring and breaking up any lumps, until the lamb is no longer pink. Pour off any excess fat from the skillet, add the cinnamon, the mint, the orégano, and the allspice, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with the reserved juice, the tomato paste, and salt and pepper to taste and cook the mixture, stirring, for 15 minutes, or until it is thickened. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the Parmesan. The lamb mixture improves in flavor if made up to this point and kept, covered and chilled, overnight. Add the eggplant to the lamb mixture, combine the mixture well, and spread it in the buttered shallow 3-quart gratin dish.
• Make the topping
• In a large saucepan combine the potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, with enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch, bring the water to a boil, and simmer the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are tender. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pan, and cook them over moderate heat, shaking the pan, for 30 seconds to evaporate any excess liquid. Force the potatoes through a ricer or the medium disk of a food mill into a bowl, add the butter, the Parmesan, the Feta, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir the mixture until it is combined well and butter is melted.
• Spoon the topping over the lamb mixture, spreading it to cover the lamb mixture completely, and dot the surface with the butter, cut into bits. Bake the potpie in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until it is browned lightly.

Steps:

• Make lamb sauce:
• Cook onion in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add lamb and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, salt, oregano, cinnamon, sugar, and pepper and sauté, stirring, 2 minutes.
• Stir in eggplant and tomatoes and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is just tender, about 40 minutes. Remove lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Make cheese sauce and cook pasta while lamb sauce is simmering:
• Melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then stir in flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and add garlic clove and whole clove, then bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Add feta, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking vigorously, until cheese is well incorporated.
• Beat eggs in a large bowl and gradually add sauce to eggs, whisking.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente, then drain in a colander. Toss half of pasta with lamb sauce and half with cheese sauce.
• Assemble pastitsio:
• Pour pasta with lamb sauce into a wide shallow 3-quart baking dish, spreading evenly. Spoon pasta with cheese sauce on top, spreading evenly.
• Bake pastitsio, uncovered, in middle of oven until bubbling and top is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cook the potatoes (in their skins) in boiling water, until soft. Drain, and mash the first 5 ingredients. Set aside.
• In a large, heavy skillet, saute the onions and garlic in 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter, with salt and pepper, until the onions are soft (5-8 minutes). Add the celery, mushrooms, and eggplant. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• When the eggplant is cooked through (and this will happen more quickly if you cover the skillet between stirrings), add green pepper, herbs, and peas. Continue cooking about 5 minutes longer.
• Remove from heat; toss with cheese, wheat germ, and vinegar. Spread this mixture into your buttered deep-dish casserole. Spread the mashed potatoes on top, as a crust.
• OPTIONAL (and OPTIMAL): Sprinkle extra cheese plus some paprika on top.
• Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes.