Wesley Morton's Shepherd's Pie - one of gastropub AGAINN's most popular dishes - is good comfort food any time of year.

1 pound ground lamb                 
1 cup yellow onion, minced   
1 cup carrot, minced     
½ cup celery, minced
10 black anchovies, minced   
1 tablepoon tomato paste                  
1 gallon chicken stock or broth 
1 cup ale

Mashed Potato Topping

5 Yukon gold potatoes      
3 cups whole milk                         
½ pound unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt to taste
2 eggs,                                  

Begin by browning minced vegetables in olive oil on medium heat until translucent.
Add tomato paste and anchovies and continue cooking an additional 10 minutes.
Add ground lamb and turn heat to high, stirring continuously until lamb is completely browned, about 10 minutes.
Add the one cup of ale and reduce by half.
Add the chicken stock, keep the heat on high until the liquid comes to a simmer.  Keep the simmer by turning the heat down to medium-low.
Continue cooking for about one hour, or until there is just enough liquid in the pot to keep the meat moist.  It will naturally thicken by reducing.

For the potato topping
Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters and place directly into a pot filled with water large enough to hold the potatoes with room to spare.  Make sure the potatoes are completely covered by at least one inch of water.  Add half of a cup of salt to the water.  Cook on medium heat at a low simmer until fork tender.  Drain in a colander in the sink until the potatoes are almost completely dry.
While the potatoes are drying in the sink, bring the milk up to a simmer in a sauce pot.  Make sure the butter is at room temperature cut into cubes.
Once the potatoes are dry, pass them through a ricer or sieve directly into a pot large enough to hold them with excess room.
Place the pot of potatoes on the stove on low heat and begin to add the milk and butter, mostly butter until you have a smooth potato puree.
Take off of the heat and add half of the parm and both eggs and beat really fast until it is evenly incorporated.
Place the lamb mixture into a baking dish in a nice even layer.  Top it off with the mashed potatoes.  Make the potatoes wavy by pulling up on the top of them once on the lamb mixture.  This will give it a rustic look.
Top it off with the rest of the cheese and bake at 400 F until completely golden brown.  Allow to rest for ten minutes and serve.

AGAINN,  1099 New York Ave NW, 202 639 9830.

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