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Sam's Shepherd's Pie

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The story

“Sam's Shepherd's Pie is built slowly from lamb, vegetables and a quietly brilliant savoury trick: white anchovies and Marmite melt into the gravy, leaving only deep, rounded flavour. Beneath its crisp potato topping is the kind of comforting dish made for a table full of people.”

This recipe now belongs to every family who cooks it.

The method

  1. 1Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 12–15 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly, then let them steam in the colander for 2 minutes to remove excess moisture. Return to the pot and mash with the butter, milk or cream, salt and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
  2. 2Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 6–8 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  3. 3Push the vegetables to the edge of the pan. Add the lamb mince, break it up with a wooden spoon and cook for 5–7 minutes, until browned. Drain excess fat if needed, but keep a little for flavour.
  4. 4Stir in the white anchovies and Marmite for 1–2 minutes, allowing both to melt into the lamb. Add the tomato purée and flour, then cook for another 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
  5. 5Gradually pour in the stock, stirring as you go. Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered over a low heat for 15–20 minutes, until glossy and thickened. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the peas and season carefully with salt and pepper.
  6. 6Heat the oven to 200°C. Transfer the lamb filling to a deep baking dish, then spoon the mashed potato across the top and spread it to the edges. Drag a fork over the surface to make crisp ridges and sprinkle with Cheddar, if using.
  7. 7Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the filling bubbles at the edges and the potato peaks are golden and crisp. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's notes & swaps

A little help from the OPR kitchen

These are optional pointers for making the recipe your own while keeping the spirit of the original.

The secret savoury layer

The anchovies and Marmite dissolve into the lamb rather than tasting fishy. Together they give the gravy its deep, rounded savouriness. Taste before adding extra salt, as both are naturally salty.

Why white anchovies?

White anchovies, or boquerones, are milder and fruitier than standard dark, salt-cured anchovies. Finely mince them so they melt seamlessly into the filling.

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