A chef has revealed an unexpected ingredient that TV chef Heston Blumenthal uses to elevate his shepherd's pie recipe. Jack Croft, who runs the Fallow, Roe and FOWL restaurants in London with business partner Will Murray, previously worked under the acclaimed celebrity chef at his Michelin-starred restaurant, Dinner by Heston.
Heston's Influence on Shepherd's Pie
Renowned for his revolutionary culinary techniques, Heston's name is associated with various British venues, including the Michelin-starred pub, The Hinds Head, in Bray. It was this establishment's shepherd's pie recipe that influenced Jack's own take, which he prepared for Fallow's YouTube channel. Beginning the video, he said: "Shepherd's pie is one of Britain's most iconic dishes, but very few people are cooking it correctly."
He continued: "We're recreating Michelin legend Heston Blumenthal's version from his one Michelin star pub, The Hinds Head, and showing you how to turn a humble classic into something truly exceptional."
The Secret Weapon: Lamb Shanks
Starting proceedings, Jack revealed to viewers what he described as Heston's "secret weapon": lamb shanks. He gently coated two of them with flour before searing them in a pan. He transferred the shanks to a container, added stock and then covered them with a cartouche. Having covered the container with tin foil, Jack clarified that the shanks require oven cooking at 85 degrees for eight to ten hours.
Once finished, he recommended allowing the braised meat to cool in the liquid. He then added lamb mince to the same pan over a high heat, instructing us to break it down as it colours. The goal is to "cook out the moisture" from the meat as quickly as possible, enabling it to caramelise at the bottom of the pan. The heat should be reduced slightly once the water begins to evaporate.
Remove the mince and set it aside, retaining the lamb fat to "sweat off" the vegetables. He diced carrot, shallots and celery, before introducing the carrot to the pan.
The Trademark Hack: Star Anise
At this stage, Jack incorporated what he described as Heston's "hack": an aromatic spice commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. He explained: "What we're going to add here is one star anise. Now, adding the star anise is a bit of a trademark of Heston."
"Adding the star anise isn't about trying to make the dish have a spice flavour of star anise. Star anise has a compound in it called anethole. Scientifically, it was researched to increase the perception of savouriness when used in sautéing. So we're just going to leave it in there to sort of permeate through the vegetables and add that perception into the final sauce base."
Jack was then shown stirring the vegetables (excluding the celery) in the pan. He clarified that they ought to be cooked over a medium-low heat and seasoned throughout. After ten minutes, sliced mushrooms and celery were added to the mix. The lamb shanks were then lifted from the sauce, which was strained through a chinois (a culinary sieve) and subsequently reduced.
Building the Pie
He gently increased the heat under the vegetables, keeping it below boiling, until they were ready. He then lowered the heat, added red wine and reduced it until it turned syrupy. Jack transferred everything to a container, added frozen peas, and then turned to the mash.
He chopped the potatoes, put them in a pan, and added salt before bringing them to the boil. All the meat was stripped from the lamb shank bones and diced, before a sprig of rosemary was added to the reduced sauce. A mint gastrique was also prepared by boiling water and sugar together, then pouring the mixture over chopped mint leaves.
Once the potatoes are cooked, leave them to steam dry before mashing. Jack then combined all the vegetables and meat together with the sauce, discarding the rosemary and seasoning with black pepper. For the mash, add milk and butter to a pan on a low heat before adding the potatoes. Jack also added a few tablespoons of the gastrique to the sauce. Finally, remove the star anise and add wholegrain mustard to the mash.
To assemble the pie, place the meat-and-vegetable mixture into an ovenproof dish, then top with the mash and smooth it out. He scored the surface with the back of a fork, then finished with a sprinkle of sea salt and parmesan. Jack advised us to put it in the oven at 180 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
