Meat mains
Lamb and vegetable layer bake
This is a warm and hearty meal-in-one – minced lamb's version of a shepherd's pie. You'll need nothing else for dinner – though a crisp green salad's a good accompaniment. There's no need to be exact with your veggies; this is a recipe for polishing off whatever you have in your veg box.
Ingredients
- 500g squash or carrots (or mix the two), peeled and roughly chopped (remove seeds if using squash)
- olive oil for frying
- 450g minced lamb
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
- a few rosemary leaves, finely chopped, or a few thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 500g leeks, cleaned and finely sliced (use white and green parts)
- 500g potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
- 4 eggs
- 250ml crème fraîche
- 50g Cheddar, grated]
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
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Step 2
Steam or boil the squash and/or carrots for about 8 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, mash and season with salt and pepper to taste. Leave to one side.
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Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan. Fry the lamb until browned all over. Add the chopped garlic, herbs, Worcestershire sauce and tomato puree. Cook for 2-3 minutes more. Remove the lamb from the pan and place in a large bowl and keep to one side.
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Step 4
Add a tablespoon more oil to the same pan, add the leeks and fry on a gentle heat for about 6-8 minutes, until softened. Transfer the leeks to a large baking dish and spread over the bottom.
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Step 5
Then add the squash or carrots and spread over the top to make another layer. Do the same with the lamb, then lay the sliced potatoes over the top in another layer, to cover the lamb. Sprinkle over the cheese. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs and crème fraîche.
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Step 6
Season well with salt and pepper, then pour evenly over the baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven, leave to stand for about 5 minutes, then serve.
