Goatherd, Lonely No More
Mark requested shepherd’s pie for dinner the other night — he needed some comfort food. (Don’t we all these days?) Though the temperatures have been well above 100°F/38°C, I acquiesced and went off to the farmers market. I was able to source all the ingredients. But lamb? It was definitely out of season.
I always thought spring was the season for lamb. But, no… here in the desert there are two seasons for lamb — spring and fall. According to the ranchers, these hot temperatures signify summer. I texted Mark and said, “Houston, we have a problem. No lamb at the market. Would goat be okay?”
He texted back this: “High on a hill was a lonely goatherd… Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo. Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd… Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo.”
I took that to mean goat meat would be just fine — not that we would be watching The Sound of Music. Thus, I purchased the ground goat meat (Tucson folks — I get my goat from L & B Farm at the Heirloom Farmers Market) we dined on Goatherd’s Pie and shared a lovely bottle of Cairanne from Provence. For more information on the wine, visit the Provence WineZine. By the way, if goat frightens you (farm-raised goat tastes just like lamb), you can make this pie with lamb for a traditional shepherd’s pie.
~ David
Goatherd’s Pie
To print this recipe, please click the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon salt, plus extra as needed
- 1/2 cup cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- freshly ground white pepper (or black)
- 1 egg yolk
- 2-3 tablespoons duck fat (or olive oil)
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and diced (1/12 cups)
- 4 carrots, peeled and diced (1 cup)
- 1 turnip, peeled and diced (1 cup) — I used several Harukai turnips
- 2 pounds ground goat (or lamb)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas
Instructions
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 3/4-inch pieces. Place them in cold water, add a tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer, and cook them for 15 minutes. Test one large cube to make sure it is fully cooked and soft. If not, cook a little longer. Strain the potatoes in a colander, then return to the pan. Add the cream and melted butter, and season well with white pepper and salt, if needed. (The potatoes will have absorbed their salt during the cooking.) Mash the potatoes, until they are very smooth and spreadable. When slightly cool, whisk in the egg yolk. Reserve the egg white for another use. Set mashed potatoes aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.
- In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the duck fat (or olive oil) and, when hot, add the onion, carrot, and turnip. Sauté over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables take on some color. Add the ground meat and, using the back of a spoon, break up any clumps. If it seems too dry, add another tablespoon of duck fat (olive oil). Sauté over medium-high heat until the meat is browned and almost no pink is visible. Add the fresh herbs and sauté for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the flour over top of the meat, then stir well. And the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and stir to distribute, followed by the beef and chicken stocks. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the sauce is thickened; season with salt and add the cracked black pepper. Stir in the peas.
- Transfer the meat mixture to an 8-inch by 12-inch baking pan and, using a spatula, spread it evenly in the pan. Dollop the potatoes over the meat, then spread evenly with a spatula. Using the tines of a fork, etch in a pattern you like (I made a herringbone pattern). Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden brown on top, then let rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Serves 6.
- Notes:
- – no need to stick to lamb; ground beef or turkey would make a great pie (just not a shepherd’s or goatherd’s pie)!
- – this can be made a couple of hours in advance. Cover and chill, then let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Mad Dog
July 1, 2023 at 6:12 amThat looks delicious – I’m sure you know that I like goat meat!
Most goat meat on sale comes from young male kids, which is why it tastes mild, like lamb. They keep the females for milk and cheese.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 1, 2023 at 10:10 amI did know that you love goat — what’s not to love? The kids really do taste like lamb,
Karen (Back Road Journal)
July 1, 2023 at 6:39 amYour dish looks great and sounds delicious. I like the turnip and duck fat, two ingredients that must add extra flavor. By the way, I can not get your Essaouira, Morocco post to download, only the lead photo and I’m sure there is more to it.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 1, 2023 at 10:12 amDuck fat adds so much flavor and a velvety texture to dishes. The turnip adds nice texture, as well as a different flavor profile. I sent you a link to the Essaouira post — I hope it open!
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
July 1, 2023 at 7:53 amBeautiful pie, David! Though I would substitute the meat as you mentioned in your “Notes.” Love the herringbone pattern; will add it to my repertoire!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 1, 2023 at 10:13 amI love the way the egg yolk in the potato makes the herringbone so beautiful. Thanks, Jean — I hope you enjoy it!
Jill W Becker
July 1, 2023 at 9:43 amLove the story – and the table linen. Certainly much more elegant than my mother’s – ground beef, veges and mashed potatoes in a skillet. She did not like to cook!!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 1, 2023 at 10:14 amThanks, Jill! I did learn that if you use beef, it can’t be called shepherd’s pie! (Shepherds don’t herd cows!) so I guess your mother made cowboy’s pie?
Jill W Becker
July 1, 2023 at 3:07 pmHmm the recipe originated from Grandmother who was Scottish. Bet it was lamb until they all moved to Tucson in 1939.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 3, 2023 at 3:41 pmI imagine beef was much easier to source here. I’ll bet your grandmother used mutton!
Eha
July 1, 2023 at 11:27 pmNo shepherd’s pie would ever arrive at one’s table as perfectly finished as yours 😉 ! Oh, love the look of it!!!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 3, 2023 at 3:40 pmYou are so sweet, Eha! Thank you!
angiesrecipes
July 2, 2023 at 2:41 amI need to make one with lamb since I have no idea where to get goat…love how you did with that mashed potato topping.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 3, 2023 at 3:40 pmThanks, Angie! It was fun doing the topping! And lamb works really well. What I like is the more seasonally appropriate use of turnip — that way all the ingredients are either spring or over-wintered.
Velva
July 2, 2023 at 1:29 pmGoat has a lot of flavor. I said it on your instagram post, will say it here too, ” Goat is under appreciated” I cannot get easy here in north Florida-especially, not ground goat meat but, I am loving this comfort dish. You are right, these days it seems there is not enough comfort dishes to bring us the needed comfort in our crazy world.
Hope you are enjoying the weekend.
Velva
Cocoa & Lavender
July 3, 2023 at 3:37 pmI really agree with you, Velva — it has wonderful flavor and I’m lucky we have a goat rancher here in the area abd they are at the farmers market 4 times a week!
Happy 4th to you!
Mimi Rippee
July 3, 2023 at 2:17 amOhhhh that sounds so good. And you really made it look pretty!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 3, 2023 at 3:35 pmThanks, Mimi! I started spreading the mashed potatoes with a fork and it all just happened!
Ron
July 3, 2023 at 3:35 amI do believe even the purest Shepard Pie lover would easily tuck into this. I too love goat, but I’ve never used it minced. Brilliant idea and one I must try…
Cocoa & Lavender
July 3, 2023 at 3:33 pmI agree — and I think the purist might even like mine better. (But that’s just my ego talking…)
Lisa Harper
July 3, 2023 at 6:54 amOnce all the shops reopen after the Eid, I am going to buy some goat meat and try the recipe. This is assuming that there are any goats or lamb left to buy after the Eid.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 3, 2023 at 3:28 pmI am sure you can get some ground goat or lamb somewhere — from what I hear, it’s the whole lambs that are used for Eid!
Raymund
July 5, 2023 at 8:07 pmYour adaptation of shepherd’s pie using ground goat meat instead of lamb sounds like a delicious and unique twist on a classic comfort food. Nice one
Cocoa & Lavender
July 12, 2023 at 2:16 pmThe next thing about comfort food is that it is very forgiving when you want to mix things up!
Christina Conte
July 6, 2023 at 8:39 amLove it! I’m now singing the goatherd song in my head! haha!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 12, 2023 at 2:16 pmI think I sang it in my head for about a week, Cristina!
sherry
July 9, 2023 at 1:16 amI’ve only had goat once or twice. Can’t remember much about it except our hosts clearly didn’t cook it long enought and it was like old boots 🙂 I’m sure your dish was delicious David. I do like a shepherd’s or goatherd’s pie 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 12, 2023 at 2:17 pmThing about certain meats is that you have to know how to cook them. The nice thing about ground goat meat or lamb is that cooking it becomes much easier.
Valentina
July 11, 2023 at 9:55 pmI love how you patterned the potatoes. So pretty. Best comfort food dish ever! Goat, lamb, I have both. ~Valentina
Now I really want to watch The Sound of Music (for the millionth time). 😀
Cocoa & Lavender
July 12, 2023 at 2:18 pmAs I told Christina, I had the Goatherd song in my head for at least a week! The nice thing about comfort food, Valentina, is that if you tart it up a little bit, it doesn’t look like comfort food. It just looks fancy!
2pots2cook
July 18, 2023 at 2:41 amThis is really beautiful dish. The crust on the top is soooooo inviting! Thank you for bringing the movie memories back! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 21, 2023 at 2:47 pmIt’s one of her favorite movies, Davorka. I don’t know what inspired me to do the cross that way, but it worked beautifully. I couldn’t just leave lumps of mashed potatoes sitting there…