It won't be long before party season is officially over, and with a dark and cold January on the horizon, many will be looking for ways to make those evenings more bearable. You can't get much better than some comfort meals, so having a few on rotation can really help.

Shepherd's pie is an easy yet tasty option, full of protein from the lamb but indulgent thanks to the creamy potatoes. And if you want to make yours taste even richer, one unexpected ingredient can make all the difference. The experts at Food Republic have hailed Guinness as the hero in this comforting dish, saying it creates a 'slow-cooked taste' in much less time.

The reason for that Guinness has that distinctive deep flavour is because of the barley that's roasted at high temperatures before being milled, giving the drink its deep colour and notes of coffee and chocolate.

It can also help to naturally thicken the meat sauce and add plenty of body, making the filling silkier without having to add cream.

The experts at Guinness have shared a recipe for this comforting dish of rich lamb topped with whipped potatoes for an extra touch of luxury. Here's how to make it, which serves six.

Ingredients - for the filling

• 500g ground lamb


• Two medium brown onions, diced


• One medium carrot, diced


• Five garlic cloves, minced


• Two tbsp tomato paste


• One cup chicken stock


• One tbsp Worcestershire sauce


• 125 ml Guinness Original


• Two tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped


• Tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped


• 1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen


• Tsp salt plus extra to taste


• Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 500g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled


• 120 ml double cream


• 113g butteri


• Six garlic cloves, minced


• Tsp salt plus extra to taste


• Tsp fresh parsley

Method

In a large pan, add oil and heat pan to medium. Add the garlic and cook for six minutes. Add the onions and carrots and cook for a further eight minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 10 minutes, until the colour deepens to a deep red.

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the lamb. Cook for 10 minutes until all the lamb is browned.

Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until 90% reduced and the remaining liquid is syrupy. Season with salt to taste and set aside for later.

For the topping, cut the potatoes into quarters and boil in salted water for 15 minutes until tender.

In a large sauce pot, sauté the garlic in the butter for five minutes over medium heat. Add the cream and turn heat to low until the potatoes are ready.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain the water, then spread the potatoes onto a baking sheet. Let sit for five minutes to steam dry, then put them through a ricer.

Using a wooden spoon, fold the riced potatoes into the cream mixture, and season to taste with salt.

When you're ready to assemble the pie, preheat oven to 200°C. In a baking dish, spread the ground lamb evenly on the bottom of the dish, topping with the potatoes.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes have browned on top, then garnish with parsley and serve immediately.