Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Juicy Lamb & Purple Potato Shepherd's Pie with a Blackberry Demi Glace

The Dr. Seuss-ian purple mashed potato topping you see here consists of extras from the Basque potato tortilla that I made for last week's French Fridays with Dorie.  I first got a bee in my bonnet to make a shepherd's pie because Claudia from What's Cooking? recently made an Italian-style version of the dish, which got my tummy rumbling.  I also just happened to have eight braised lamb shoulder chops sitting around.

But why, you ask, when it's just Poppa Trix and me, would I ever need to make such an obscene amount of lamb all at once?  Why, indeed!

I confess, I have lured you in with the other-worldly glow of these purple potatoes in order to share something with you: I am super excited ... no, beyond excited ... okay, maybe freaking out a little that my photos are accompanying an Epicurious feature about St. Patrick's Day.  As I also cooked all the dishes for the spread - a soup, a side, a dessert, and, as I said, those braised lamb shoulder chops - there were a lot of leftovers at Casa de Trix!  Please go check it out and tell me what you think! (Unless you don't like it, and then I won't be sad if you don't say anything, really I don't mind.)

But back to this shepherd's pie. What makes it really special - aside from those purple potatoes, of course -  is the blackberry demi glace. (I know technically this is more of a reduction than a proper demi glace, but that's what I want to call it. Please don't be upset with me, Chef J!) After braising all those lamb chops, I had a considerable amount of stock left over. So I tossed in a sprig of rosemary and set the stock - still in the roasting pan -  to simmer until it reduced by about 85 - 90 percent. At this point I added a couple spoonfuls of blackberry jam and continued to cook until it melted into my sauce. I tasted for seasoning - salt and pepper - and it was good to go.

Meanwhile, I boiled the purple potatoes with their skins on. Once soft, I peeled them and quickly hit them with a shot of lemon juice - the acid helps them retain their luminous color. To this I added butter, cream, salt, and pepper, and whizzed the whole shebang with my handy immersion blender.

For the actual pie, I used carrots, sauteed onions, garlic, peas, and the lamb, which I shredded off of the bone - and of course that scrumptious blackberry sauce. I plopped this whole mixture into a casserole, topped with the potatoes, and baked at 350 F for about 25 minutes, and finished it off in the broiler to try to brown the top. As it turns out, purple potatoes don't really brown ...

It was a little saucy, juicy, and messy - we had to eat it in soup bowls, after all  - but it was mighty tasty. And if you've skimmed this post (I forgive you) and didn't see it before, please go check out my photos in Epicurious!





23 comments:

  1. Oh Trix, so thrilling..they are great pictures too! Fruit and lamb go together so beautifully and those potatoes are amazing! Thanks for the tip about the lemon to keep their color..mine always go lavender! And you know it was called shepherd's pie for a reason.. it was the bits from their flock that got tossed into the pot. Great job and lovely dish.

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  2. This just rocks. Until you came along I had never seen purple spuds. I think the unexpected color really lends itself well to your demi glace concoction. Maybe a little gremolata of some sort with a hint of breadcrumbs to make brown but really, why make it brown when it is so beautiful?

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  3. Awesome pics for Epicurious. Aw so cute to see I am not the only one that's got the purple potato obsession now hehe. I knew you would post about them soon again. Love the shepherd's pie you made

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  4. Beautiful pictures Trix, these purple spuds are so colorful and fun. I'm so glad that even after cooking the purple color remained so vivid in the potatoes. Congratulations on the pics for Epicurious;-)

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  5. Wow how awesome Epicurious, that is a great accomplishment and so exciting!!!!! Congrats!!
    Awesome job!

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  6. I just love the color purple! Your photos are amazing--as usual! Congrats, girlfriend! Now I have this urge to look for purple taters to plant in spring.

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  7. wow! that is... really purple! ha, awesome! thanks for sharing!
    -meg
    @ http://www.clutzycooking.blogspot.com
    @ http://www.myscribblednotebook.blogspot.com

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  8. Congrats on Epicurious, great photos!
    Shepherds Pie looks awesome :) I never had purple potato,do they taste same as whites ones?

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  9. Epicurious -- not bad! Your photos (both here and there) are glorious. Especially the purple potatoes...

    I must thank you for posting this today. You spurred me to (finally) get the purple gnocchi post up -- who knows how long it would've taken me if I hadn't seen your second purple tatty post in less than a week? Theresa

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  10. I checked the photos and they are beautiful! Hope I can take such great pics at some point! Love that dish too, fascinated with the color! :)

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  11. I'm obsessed with purple colored food too, as you can probably see in the number of purple dishes I posted last year! But I normally use purple sweet potatoes because we just don't get purple potatoes over here. Your lovely shepherd's pie has a mysterious hue to it that is mesmerizing... No wonder Epicurious chose your photos!

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  12. I need to get into the purple potato obsession as well. So pretty! And congras on Epicurious.

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  13. hooray for purple potatoes! this looks amazing and scrumptious. certainly the best elegant winter food i've ever seen. and congrats on your featured photos! they look awesome as always. :)

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  14. This dish is blowing my mind. First, I LOVE purple potatoes - it's super elegant but super fun - I liken it to eating a cartoon and I think the whole world should be seen as a cartoon. Very Dr. Seuss-y. THEN you have this demi-glaze...wow.

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  15. The purple is just delightful. And Shepherd's Pie is one of that all time classic comfort foods. Love the unique twist on it. Thanks for sharing this.

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  16. beautiful dish adore shepherds pie :-)

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  17. nice photos for the epicurious feature, kinda like a ghost cooker... I like your Dr. Seuss-ian potato dish, it would sure be the topic of the table at a Mardi Gras feast, huh?

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  18. Oh, wow, what a color on those purple mashed potato topping there, amazing! I absolutely adore your Shepherd's pie makeover here, with the blackberry demi glace, awesome!

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  19. First sight of this dish, its bright purple colour has already won my heart. What a gorgeous looking pie!

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  20. How GORGEOUS is this?!

    It's like... not fair to all of the ugly foods out there.

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  21. I love the brightness of the purple potatoes. I will certainly have to use your lemon juice trick to keep the color next time I cook with these.

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  22. My goodness Trix, the purple sweet potato topping looks incredible. The photo turned out even divine....making me salivate! haha... Happy Belated Valentine's Day.
    Cheers, Kristy

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  23. It's purple. How awesome is that?

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