By Chef Eric Siew Australian Spring Lamb Pie

  • Prep time 4Hr
  • Cook time 1Hr
  • Technique Stew, Bake
  • Meat Lamb
  • Cut Shoulder
  • Serves 4

Delicious slow-cooked lamb shoulder forms the filling of this pie/tart which is garnished with spring vegetables, lentils and dollops of mashed potato.

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry for pie dough:

  • 500g flour

  • 250g butter

  • 4g salt

  • 2 egg yolks

  • 100g water

For the lamb filling:

  • 200g boneless Australian lamb shoulder, minced

  • 1 clove garlic, chopped

  • ½ pc Holland onion, diced

  • ½ pc whole ripe tomato, roughly chopped

  • 50g carrot, cubed

  • 50g green peas

  • 1 sprig rosemary

  • 100ml red wine

  • 500ml chicken stock

  • 80ml bulgogi sauce

  • Salt, to taste

  • Black pepper, to taste

For the toppings:

  • 4 pcs jumbo asparagus

  • 40g tomato concassé

  • 20g celery stalk, brunoise cut

  • 20g carrot, brunoise cut

  • 20g onion, brunoise cut

  • 1 russet potato, cooked and passed through a fine sieve

  • 20g grated parmesan

  • 70g Du Puy lentils, cooked

  • Fresh chives, slivers

  • Butter, as needed

  • Cream, as needed

Method

For the lamb filling:

  1. Heat pot with oil till smoky. Brown minced lamb thoroughly and season with pepper.

  2. Add in the diced onions and cubed carrots. Cook for another 3 minutes then add in the chopped garlic. Cook until garlic is lightly browned.

  3. Add in the rosemary and chopped tomatoes. Cook for another 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with red wine.

  4. Add the lamb stock. Cover and braise on low heat until the sauce thickens.

  5. Finally add in the bulgogi sauce and green peas.

  6. Adjust seasoning if needed. Leave filling aside to cool.

For the pie crust:

  1. Beat flour, butter, and salt together until the texture is powdery.

  2. Gradually add the egg yolks and water.

  3. Mix well into a dough.

  4. Roll out flat and place within pie moulds. Press on the side and trim off extra from the sides.

  5. Make holes in the pie crust with a fork.

  6. Bake for 10 minutes at 180°C.

For the toppings:

  1. Mix the mashed potatoes, parmesan cheese, butter, and cream in a small pot.

  2. Slowly heat up on low heat until the cheese is well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. Transfer the mashed potato into a piping bag with a star nozzle. Set aside.

  4. Heat up a clean pan with oil. Sweat onion, celery, and carrot. Add in the lentils, asparagus, and tomato concassé. At this time, the tomato will release moisture to the pan. Whisk in a knob of butter.

  5. Season with salt and pepper and finish with chopped chives.

To assemble the pie:

  1. Preheat oven to 190°C.

  2. In a par-baked pie crust add the lamb filling until the crust is ¾ filled.

  3. Pipe the mashed potato over the lamb filling in the desired fashion.

  4. Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are slightly brown on the edges. Remove from oven.

  5. Arrange the asparagus tips neatly on the pie and spoon over braised lentils.

  6. Garnish with chive slivers and serve.