Savory mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese and a touch of green get topped with lamb and a simple parsley pesto. Plenty of green & potatoes to get you ready for St. Pat’s Day!
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil plus 1 tbsp extra olive oil
1 cup parsley (just rinse it, no need to chop)
salt to taste
handful baby spinach
Instructions
Put a large pot of water on to boil. Rinse the potatoes. Peel half of them, scrub the skins of the the other four potatoes. Chop into 4 of 5 chunks per potato.
When the water comes to a boil, add the chopped potatoes to the water. Boil for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
As the potatoes boil, make a quick parsley pesto by adding the garlic, 1/2 cup olive oil and parsley to a food processor, pulse to combine.
Next, heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. When heat, add the lamb, salt to taste and gradually break the lamb up with a sturdy slotted spoon, stirring occasionally. The lamb will take approximately 10 minutes to cook through.
The potato should be finished cooking as the lamb finishes. Drain the potatoes, and mash the potatoes with the milk and butter. Adjust the butter and milk quantities as needed to get the potatoes to the consistency you like them. When they are mashed nicely, stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese and salt to taste.
Plate a scoop of the mashed potatoes. Use the slotted spoon to scoop out some cooked lamb from the skillet, letting the excess fat drain through the spoon before serving the lamb over the potatoes. Top the lamb with a tablespoon of parsley pesto, then sprinkle some of the extra cheddar over the top. Sláinte!
