Carole's Shepherds Pie
Carole's Shepherds Pie
This is my own take on a tasty Shepherds Pie, although traditionally made with minced lamb, we prefer it with minced beef (usually called Cottage Pie). If you wish to avoid red meat you could substitute quorn mince instead, although I've not used it personally. You would also have to avoid using meat stock cubes, try using Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon powder as stock, which is great in vegetable dishes.
This dish serves four people.
Ingredients
500g extra lean minced beef (or minced steak/lamb or quorn)
1 large onion - chopped finely
1 tbspn tomato puree
Good splash of Worcestershire Sauce
2 carrots - sliced
Approx. 0.5 litre of water
1 Oxo cube (or 1 Knorr beef cube or 2 tspns vegetable stock powder) & salt and pepper to season
Approx. 1 kg potatoes - chopped
2 medium eggs
1 tbspn olive/vegetable oil
1 tspn English Mustard or Horseradish Sauce
Butter (or low fat spread) and milk for mashing
25 - 30g grated Mature Cheddar or Red Leicester cheese (or whatever cheese you prefer)
Sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper (if desired)
Instructions
Dry fry the mince and onion in a large pan until the meat is browned and the onion has softened.
Add the tomato puree, sliced carrots, worcestershire sauce, water (enough to cover the meat mixture) and stock cube.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir well until all the ingredients are mixed.
Cover the pan and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile bring the potatoes to the boil and simmer until soft and ready to mash (approx. 20 minutes)
Drain the potatoes and mash with butter (or low fat spread) and milk, add pepper if required.
Fry the eggs in a little oil then add to the mash, along with the mustard/horseradish sauce, and mix in with a fork.
Pour the meat mixture into an oven proof dish and top with the mashed potato mixture.
Fluff up the mash with a fork to form 'peaks'
Sprinkle grated cheese over the top.
Sprinkle with cayenne pepper if desired.
Put into a pre-heated oven (180c or gas mark 4) and cook for 20 minutes until brown on the top.
Re cottage pie
Sounds wonderfull and simple to make