Wake the Dead Lamb & Potato Cottage-Style Bake

Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 40 minutes | Servings: 6

When dinner calls for something hearty, a bubbling lamb-and-vegetable filling under a layer of mashed potatoes is difficult to argue with.

Wake the Dead brings smoky coffee-and-chile depth to the lamb, while carrots, peas and a simple gravy keep the dish grounded in familiar comfort food.

Strictly speaking, a traditional lamb-topped potato pie is more closely related to shepherd's pie. We're calling this a cottage-style bake because the goal here is an approachable ZSR adaptation, not a claim to an established regional recipe.

Ingredients

Potato topping

• 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ cup warm milk
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Lamb filling

• 1½ lb ground lamb
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp Wake the Dead
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil, only if needed

Directions

1. Preheat. Heat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a 9-by-9-inch baking dish or another approximately 2-quart oven-safe dish.
2. Cook the potatoes. Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water and season the water moderately with salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until fork-tender, approximately 15 minutes.
3. Mash. Drain well. Mash with butter and warm milk until smooth. Add pepper and taste before adjusting salt.
4. Start the filling. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground lamb and cook, breaking it apart. Continue until fully cooked to 160°F. Drain excess fat if necessary.
5. Cook the vegetables. Add onion and carrots. Cook for approximately 6 minutes until the onion softens. Add a little olive oil only if the skillet needs it.
6. Season. Add garlic and Wake the Dead. Stir briefly over moderate heat.
7. Build the gravy. Stir in tomato paste and flour. Cook for 1 minute, then gradually add broth and Worcestershire sauce while stirring.
8. Simmer. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until lightly thickened. Stir in frozen peas and lemon juice. Taste before adding more seasoning.
9. Assemble. Transfer the lamb filling to the baking dish. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top and create ridges with a fork.
10. Bake. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the potato topping has begun to brown.
11. Rest and serve. Let the bake stand for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into portions.

Make-ahead strategy

Prepare the filling and mashed potatoes separately, then cool and refrigerate promptly.

Assemble when ready to bake. A fully chilled casserole will require additional heating time. Reheat until the center reaches 165°F.

Why Wake the Dead works

The coffee, chile and herb character of Wake the Dead complements the richness of lamb and supports the tomato-based gravy.

The mashed potatoes keep the dish familiar, making it a useful comfort-food introduction to a distinctive seasoning.

Grillslayer move: Let steam escape from the drained potatoes before mashing. Less trapped water means a fluffier topping.