Shepards Pie

[Pennywise]

Hey food pro's, I want to make a shepards pie (never made one before) & I'm sure some of you on here would have some cracker tips. I have this recipe taken from Taste.com.au

Whata ya's reckon, change anything?

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tbs olive oil
1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, trimmed, finely chopped
500g lamb mince
2 tbs plain flour
500ml (2 cups) beef stock
1 dried bay leaf
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs tomato paste
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 (about 200g each) desiree potatoes, peeled, chopped
40g butter
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
Melted butter, to brush


Method

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add lamb mince and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until lamb changes colour.

Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until combined. Add stock, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile: cook potato in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Return to the pan with the butter. Use a potato masher or fork to mash until smooth. Add milk and use a wooden spoon to stir until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 200C. Spoon lamb mixture into a 2L (8-cup) capacity ovenproof baking dish. Top with mashed potato and use a fork to spread over lamb mixture. Brush with butter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until mashed potato is golden brown. Serve immediately

 

[Supra-Jim]

One little trick I use with a shepards pie every now and then is to grab a packet of gnocchi and use this instead of mashed potato, and a good shake of grated cheese over the top. The top gets lovely and golden and crispy and the underside of the gnocchi soaks up the lovely gravy.

Just cook the gnocchi as per normal and then arrange over the top of the filling in a casserole dish, cover with cheese and bake till golden.

Oh, and the recipe above looks fine. Mince is good if you are after a quick cook, otherwise if you have get some cheaper cuts and cut up into chunks and let it cook nice and long and slow. It will get nice and rich and the meat will fall apart. Yum.

Cheers SJ

 

[Pennywise]

Mmm good idea, will deffinatly use meat chunks instead of mince. I've ever had good gnocchi, I know it's not supposed to be all rubbery and stuff but every one I've tried is. Might have a crack at making that too. Really getting into this food shit ATM, even bought me a nice set of knives the other day

 

[Supra-Jim]

I just follow the instructions, drop into boiling water, remove them as they float to the top. This recipe will 'hide' any flaws in your prep of the gnocchi. I think I will be having this tonight.

Cheers SJ

 

[mwd]

I prefer mince personally but you can use lamb or beef (cottage pie). You can chuck any vegetables in the mix such as peas or corn kernels. It is a pie that you can add anything that takes your fancy really. Don't forget the HP sauce.
And if it does not brown up to perfection just stick under the grill to do the top.

 

[ledgenko]

I hve found that the use of a finely sliced leek also adds to my Shepards pie... I also dont add Worst sauce but have HP sauce on the table for people o add their own accourding to taste... I cover potato in grated cheese too (colby and Romano) ... mmmmm

My Mother in law (who is a Pom) also adds sliced tomato under the mashed spud !!

 

[ledgenko]

Oh and use Roya blue or dutch cream spuds for the mash !!! and def beef mince...


My 2c worth !!

Make a big batch so you have left overs !!

 

[cubbie]

Oh and use Roya blue or dutch cream spuds for the mash !!! and def beef mince...


My 2c worth !!

Make a big batch so you have left overs !!

Beef mince is a cottage pie not a shepherds pie, but yes get a good mashing spud.

 

[.DJ.]

I personally would add more Wostershire Sauce...

Love the Gnocci idea!

 

[outbreak]

Cook a lamb roast the night before and use the leftovers! Well, thats what my nan used to do.

 

[Supra-Jim]

nice idea Outbreak. Left over lamb roast, yum!!!

Just topped of a shepards pie with gnocchi and pushed it into the oven to finish it off. Mmmmmmm,....

Cheers SJ

 

[cliffo]

Pennywise,

I did that same taste.com recipe last night, albeit with beef mince and I can say it is a winner.

Have to agree with .DJ. ...add more Worstershire.

I think I doubled the Worstershire & bay leaf numbers.

Leftovers went down a treat for lunch at work today too!

cliffo

 

[Amber Fluid]

I have used stout in a sheppards pie and that is always a winner.

 

[Supra-Jim]

Mine last night was tasting a little to tomatoey, so I added a generous slurp or three of Coopers stout and it came up trumps.

Cheers SJ

 

[Katherine]

One little trick I use with a shepards pie every now and then is to grab a packet of gnocchi and use this instead of mashed potato, and a good shake of grated cheese over the top. The top gets lovely and golden and crispy and the underside of the gnocchi soaks up the lovely gravy.

Just cook the gnocchi as per normal and then arrange over the top of the filling in a casserole dish, cover with cheese and bake till golden.

Oh, and the recipe above looks fine. Mince is good if you are after a quick cook, otherwise if you have get some cheaper cuts and cut up into chunks and let it cook nice and long and slow. It will get nice and rich and the meat will fall apart. Yum.

Cheers SJ

I was so going to suggest that, I do that also..

 

[bradsbrew]

Cook a lamb roast the night before and use the leftovers! Well, thats what my nan used to do.

Thats what i do as well. But I braise the lamb in a guiness and rosemary gravy and add some potato chunks and peas. Soak the tomatoes in the HP or worcty and put under the mashed potato. And brown the top of the mash potato. hmm looks like roast lamb tommorrow night.

Cheers

 

[Pennywise]

Success. The mash was especially good nice and fluffy, even if the meat did overflow a little. Only thing I'd change is the thickness of the sauce, as it was I used a bit of corn flour at the end to thicken it, still could of done with a bit more

 

[ledgenko]

Pennywise ... awesome ... Sheppards pie is one of those dishes that you mould to your own tastes...

I do like the Stout idea .. will have to brew a stout now to try it ;-)

Cheers