Spiced Shepherds Pie

Break the cauliflower into florets and place in a saucepan with water and sea salt and bring to the boil. Cook until soft, then drain well. Place in a shallow casserole or pan.

Pour the olive oil into a frying pan and add ½ a teaspoon of sea salt, add the onions and fry over a medium heat until they start to turn golden. Add the lamb and another ½ teaspoon of sea salt, increase the heat to high and use a wooden spoon to break up the lamb so it separates into small pieces.

When the lamb starts to brown add the ground fennel and barhat spice mix, cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomato puree and stir for another 3 minutes, it will thicken and intensify in flavour.

Spread this over the cauliflower. Make the topping by mixing together the yoghurt, tahini, eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the lamb and sprinkle the top wth pine nuts. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 160C fan/180C/gas4. The top should look golden and set. Finish with chopped parsley.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cauliflower
  • Sea salt
  • 2 Onions
  • 2bsp veg oil
  • 500g minced lamb
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 2 baharat spice mix
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree

Topping

  • 200g yoghurt
  • 200g tahini
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1-2 tbsp water-
  • 2tbsp pine nuts

Spice mix

  • 1 dried chilli
  • 3 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 4 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 2 cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon fennel
  • ¾ teaspoon mahleb seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1.5 teasponns ground cinnamon