This pie is twice-sage: once for the herby lamb filling, enhanced with dark beer, and once for the fluffy white potato topping, which looks like the beard of an old dwarven sage. The stew beneath it is dark, rich, and hearty - perfect after a day in the mines. — Excerpt from "The Gastronome's Guide to Dwarven Cooking"
Ingredients
For the stew
1 tbsp oil
500g ground lamb (or beef)
2 Celery sticks, finely cubed
1 large onion, finely cubed
1 large carrot, finely cubed
6 chestnut Mushrooms, roughly chopped
Dried Sage (or fresh, if you have it)
rosemary
½ cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 beef stock cube
1 330ml bottle Dark ale
2 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon honey
(optional) 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
Salt and pepper (to taste)
For the potato topping:
1kg Potatoes, peeled
85g Butter
5 tbsp Milk
Salt
(Optional) a handful of grated Cheddar cheese
The Method
1. Prepare the Potato Topping:
Place the peeled, diced potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15-20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and return them to their pot. Add butter and milk to taste and mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy. Season with salt to taste.
2. Prepare the Stew Filling:
In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the finely cubed onion, celery and carrot and saute for 5 mins, or until the onion turns translucent.
Add the ground lamb or beef and stir until browned. If your meat is very lean, you may need to add extra oil so it doesn’t stick.
Add the chopped mushrooms, sage and rosemary, and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms begin to release their moisture.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat them evenly, then gradually add in the dark ale, stirring so the flour doesn’t clump.
Crumble in the beef stock cube and add the honey and peas (and Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce, if using).
Stir well, and turn the heat right now, cover and let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes until it thickens, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.
3. Assemble and Bake:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Transfer the stew filling into an ovenproof casserole dish, then spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the stew filling, spreading them out with a spatula. Create decorative peaks and whirls with a fork, like a fluffy white beard.
(Optional) Sprinkle a handful of grated Cheddar cheese over the mashed potatoes.
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
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