French Onion Shepherd’s Pie

Name: French Onion Shepherd’s Pie
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 tbsp rapeseed oil; 50 g butter; 4 large onions, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp light muscovado sugar; 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves; 400 g lamb mince; 2 celery sticks, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 1 heaped tbsp plain flour; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tsp tomato purée; 200 ml white wine; 300 ml chicken stock; 1 kg potatoes, peeled; 4 tbsp milk; 50 g mature Cheddar cheese, finely grated; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; buttered petit pois

Preparation info

Serves
4-6

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
2 hr 30

Appears in

Neven Maguire's Midweek Meals

By Neven Maguire

Published 2020

About

Here I’m taking a firm family favourite to next-level cooking. To get the true flavour of the caramelised onions for this pie, expect them to take a bit of time, but you will be rewarded with the melting texture and deep colour that are required. I love to use Connemara Hill lamb, it’s well worth seeking out.

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
50 g butter
4 large onions

Europe
France
Pie
Main course

Method

To caramelise the onions, heat half of the oil and half of the butter in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium to high heat. Stir in the onions with a pinch of salt and sauté for 8-10 minutes, until starting to brown. Sprinkle in the sugar and thyme, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat the rest of the oil in a casserol