Potato-stuffed soda bread, pan-fried, with shepherd's gravy

Cook the potatoes in salted water until very tender but not falling apart, tested with a knife.

Drain well, transfer to a bowl and mash smooth with a potato masher.

Add sliced green onions, black pepper, salt and a few shakes of cayenne; mix while still hot, then let cool a little.

Mix in chopped Italian parsley and grated cheddar. Refrigerate if making ahead.

Whisk flour, salt and baking soda together thoroughly.

Pour in the buttermilk and mix briefly with a fork until it just comes together into a shaggy dough.

Gather and press into a ball by hand without kneading; the dough is very wet and sticky.

Put slightly less than half the dough, about 45%, on floured parchment, dust the top well with flour, cover with parchment and flatten into a rectangle or oval for the bottom.

Peel off the top parchment and neaten the edge with dampened fingers.

Spoon the potato filling over and press it even, leaving at least an inch of dough uncovered around the edge.

Flatten the rest of the dough the same way between well-floured parchment sheets, using a rolling pin; flour both sheets.

Lay it over the filling and press and pinch the edges together to seal.

Scrape off excess flour, slide onto a sheet pan and brush the top with a little buttermilk.

Bake in the center of a 400 degree oven about 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown.

Cool on a rack to room temperature, then slice.

For the gravy, saute ground lamb and diced onions with a big pinch of salt in melted butter over medium-high heat, stirring, 5 or 6 minutes until well browned.

Season with black pepper and a few shakes of cayenne.

Stir in flour and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.

Add chicken or beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula.

Bring to a boil to reach full thickness; reduce a few minutes for thicker. Keep hot on low.

Pan-fry slices of the bread in melted butter over medium-high heat a few minutes per side until heated through and golden brown.

Serve the slices in a pool of the hot gravy.