Shepherd's Pie 🇮🇪

 

The weather has turned with the arrival of the first autumn rains, and a hearty shepherd's pie is just the meal to herald in the cooler season.  I remember the children used to love it at the child care centre I once operated, where I must have also cut my teeth cooking for the masses.  Shepherd's pie, an old time favourite, is quite easy to make.  It's lamb mince fried together with vegetables, embedded in a tasty gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes, then baked in the oven until bubbly and golden brown.  No fancy herbs and spices.  No complicated manoeuvres. You can substitute lamb mince with beef mince and make a cottage pie instead.  Serve it with green beans,  peas or a salad for a simple family dinner.

Serves 4-5

 

INGREDIENTS

• 500g / 1lb 2oz lamb mince
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium size onion, peeled & finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, trimmed, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 900g / 2lb potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 50g / 1¾ oz butter
• ½ cup milk

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high.  Add onion, carrot and celery and stir fry for a few minutes until softened.  Add the lamb mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon to mix with the other ingredients.  Cook until the mince is browned.  Stir in the tomato paste. 
2. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until combined with ingredients.  Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf.  Bring to the boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens into a gravy.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.  Add the potato and cook for 15 minutes or until tender.  Drain well and return to the pan.  Add milk and most of the butter.  With a potato masher, mash potato until smooth.
4. Spoon lamb mixture into a casserole dish.  Top with mashed potato and ruffle it over with a fork.  Dot the potato with the remaining butter.
5. Bake in a preheated 200°C/400°F oven for 20 minutes or until the potato is golden brown and the gravy is bubbling.

Source (with adaptations): Sarah Hobbs at taste.com.au.