Shepherds Pie

[super1971]

okay how do i make it ui usually use the packet mix but have none and would like to have a go from strach tnaks

[oliveoil]

fab one in the Times yesterday, will have a see if I can link

[colditz]

Fry onionsa diced carrots and mince.

Make some gravy, and add a spoonful of mint sauce

Mix in with mince and bubble it until it's nice and thick

plop your mash on top and oven it until golden.

[super1971]

yes please that would be good

[Enid]

you'll get loads of different replies

I do it this way:

fry chopped onion and carrot in a bit of oil until really nice and soft and golden

add lamb mince and push around until beginning to brown a bit

add a spoonful of flour, stir in then add half a pint of stock (I use marigold bouillon powder). add a bayleaf, tiny bit of pepper and simmer for half an hour until quite thick and dry. Add salt to taste.

take out bay leaves and pour in dish. Make buttery mash with only a tinsy bit of milk and lots of salt and a bit of pepper. put on top, make top look pretty with a fork and a couple of thin slices tomato, then bake in oven for half an hour if the meat mixture is cold or whack under grill until golden brown.

[oliveoil]

yum yum

[Enid]

garlic

sacrilege

actually it does sound quite nice but I couldnt be bothered with it

I had sheperds pie in the Ivy once and they add worcestershire sauce and tomato ketchup to the meat base

[Prufrock]

Like enid, though I tend to make cottage (so use beef rather than lamb mine), and, if making for kids, add Nigella's magic ingredient of a large splash of apple juice

[Lucycat]

Dead easy

I don't weigh ingredients and everyone will put slightly different things in theirs, but here goes,
mince,
chopped onion - fry until brown, chuck in some cubed carrots/mushrooms yum! quick stir.
1 tbsp plain flour into the pan and then slowly add some beef stock ( I use an oxo cube)until it looks about the right consistency, then leave to simmer for approx 1/2 hr. I also like some Worcestershire sauuce or brown sauce in mine!

(Take half out to puree slightly for the dd's, mainly to hide the mushrooms!)

Put into the bottom of a casserole dish, peel, cook and mash your taties, bung on top, approx 40 mins in oven 180, gas mark 4 - don't burn your mouth! yum

[gingerbear]

This is one of DH's four dishes he can cook well. Similar to Enid's method, except he always adds a tin of baked beans to the mince.

[Bozza]

I make mine with beef mince (think that's meant to be cottage pie). Fry it with onion, carrot and mushroom, add flour and herbs then stock and tin of tomatoes. Then cook in oven with mash on top.

[super1971]

okay the last time made it the mas sank to the bottom and then there wasnt enough to spread out do i make thinner mash or thicker mince mix?

[Bozza]

Oh yes I usually add worcester sauce.

[Lucycat]

thicker mince and make sure that when you put the mash on you use a spoon and sort of scrape it towards the side of the dish so that it sticks - saw Gary Rhodes do it and it does work!

[Bozza]

Thicker mince I would say. And put your mash on in blobs with a spoon so you don't have to spread it too far.

[CarolinaMoon]

if you've got time, letting the mince cool down first will help stop the mash falling into it, but really the mince ought to be too thick to let the mash in - it should be moist mince (and veg) rather than a kind of sauce iyswim.

[Bozza]

Maybe you should cook off the mince for longer on the hob to get rid of some of the liquid.

[super1971]

thanks mince bubbling away as we speak , hope dh is impressed

[Catbert]

I have just made one myself. I make it up every time! Bit like every mince dish I make!

Todays vegetables found in the fridge and needing to be used up - swede, parsnip, carrots and onions!

Chop finely and cook gently until softened. Add mince, brown. Goodly splash of red wine and bubble nicely until alcohol has boiled away.

Add bayleaf, tom puree, few mixed herbs, worc. sauce, teaspoon of mustard and a tin of chopped tomatoes.

Cook and mash potatoes and the rest of my swede.

Stick the meat mixture with some extra stock (so it doesn't dry out) into the oven very low, until I am back from this afternoons activities.

When back, bung potato mix into top, smother in grated cheddar and oven/grill until top is golden.

Will be served today with Broccoli and playdate . Rest to have for supper with DH...

[Catbert]

If my mix is too liquid, I strain off the excess, before I put potatoes on top. Then use the excess with some gravy mix to make up some extra gravy to serve on the side... Yurm!

[CarolinaMoon]

ooh catbert, you've just reminded me of the best cottage pie recipe - the mash is a mixture of potatoes, swede and carrots, maybe parsnips too, with chopped leeks and grated cheese scattered on top. Yum!

[wads]

I always make with left over chilli con carne. Yummy

[vickiyumyum]

gingerbear - my dh always insists on having atin of baked ebans in it as well!

i make mine with more veggies, then the kids will eatthem without realising.

so i do the usual, fry an onion, then the mince (although use beef not lamb as don't like lamb), add either a few handfuls of frozen mixed veg, or fresh veg depending on mood and time of the week! usually garden peas, carrots, sweetcorn, plus the tin of beans. add gravy (usually bisto with a splash of worcesterhire sauce and hp sauce) mix it all together let it simmer for as long as i can be bothered, no more than half an hour or so.

mash potatoes and spreda them thickly on the top of the meat mix, sometimes add cheese. leave on the side covered until about an hour before we want to eat and then put it in the oven on a low heat. or put in oven straight away for about half an hour.

[dinny]

I add a slosh of anchovy essence too. DH thinks it is lovely and so do ds and dd (never tasted it as don't eat meat).