Galton Blackiston jazzes up the humble Shepherd's pie by topping with a hint of curry powder for some subtle spice, a little apricot jam for sweetness (think of lamb and apricot pairings in tagines), and cheesy mashed potato piped on top.
Stir in the tomato paste, curry powder and apricot jam. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until the lamb is cooked. Remove from the heat
Stir in the toasted almonds, season with salt and pepper and add a little more curry powder if needed. Transfer the mince mix into 12 individual ramekins
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and return to the pan. Place the pan back on the heat to dry the potatoes to a ‘floury’ texture – keep shaking the pan over the heat
9
Meanwhile, heat the butter and milk in a pan to just below simmering point
75ml of skimmed milk
50g of salted butter
10
Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer or sieve into a bowl. Using a spatula, beat in the hot butter and milk together with the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper
Spread the mash over the lamb in the ramekins and fluff the top with a fork. Alternatively, scoop the mash into a piping bag and pipe the mashed potato over the lamb mince
12
Place the ramekins with the mini shepherd's pies onto a baking tray and into the preheated oven
13
Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the pies are heated right through and the potato topping has lightly browned. Serve immediately
There can't be many Michelin-starred chefs who started out selling homemade cakes, biscuits and preserves on a market stall in Rye in 1979. Yet, the quietly spoken, endearingly eccentric Galton Blackiston isn't like other chefs.
