Tell me your secret and cunning ideas for making a shepherds pie bigger?

[FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010]

DH won't countenance baked beans in it but what else do you put in it to make it go further?

TIA.

lentils
carrots

loads of veggies plus tinned mushrooms as well as fresh

an extra jar of pasta sauce with more veggies in helps as well

grated carrot/parship or any other vegetable of that ilk

veggie mince

lentils

lots of mash...

Lentils? Either a tin of drained green ones or some cooked red ones?
Carrots? I usually just slice them and give them a few minutes in the microwave or boiling water before adding.

He is right about baked beans!

Root veg (turnip, carrot) and/or squash (of the pumpkin variety, not the juice concentrate )

Also, the best herbs to go with it. I am using lamb mince.

Goodness, you lot a quick!

Thank you.

Will go and look through properly now.

Leeks might be good too - or you could put some sauteed ones into the mash?

Rosemary.

DH puts in every variety of frozen veg available. Baked beans, I'm afraid and even cabbage left over from Sunday roast.

We usually buy an enormous peice of lamb, which scares the pants off me, when I'm paying for it! It lasts Sunday dinner, shepherds pie and sarnies though, so it's not that bad. He usually chops the lamb into chunks, rather than mincing it too. He's not a lover of mincing, he tells me!

Sod the herbs, Worcester sauce is what every shepherd's pie is crying out for!!

(And I do throw in a handful of mixed dried herbs. And sometimes some porcini, as I am a foodponce).

OKay, I have

peas,
carrots
and broccoli for on the side.

No lentils, have done the mash, oats is an interesting one.

grated carrot, frozen peas, tin of sweetcorn.

Couldyou throw the baked beans in anyway...would he actually notice and why does he object??

Just need to make the stock now as the tinned toms aren't adding enough liquid.

Thanks guys.

He would notice and tbh I am not keen.

The worcestershire sauce is in. I had forgotten about that as have used it before and it is delicious.

Have never heard of putting tinned toms or pasta sauce in a shepherd's pie.

Do you put cheese on top? It won't make it bigger but it might make it 'feel more' if that makes sense.

What do you put in yours, janeite? I have always put tinned tomatoes in mine.

I sometimes put cheese on top and will do today, thanks for the idea.

I only ever make a lentil veggie one - so no help to you at all.

But tinned toms and baked beans are the foods of Satan, so they deffo don't get used here!

I make vast amounts of the filling and freeze it. For 1kg of mince I add 500g lentils (usually 50:50 red/puy) and about 750g finely chopped veg- onion, celery, parsnip, swede and carrot are my staples.I boil the lentils separately with a bay leaf and add to the softened veg and browned mince mixture.
I flavour it with whatever seems a good idea at the time- tomato ketchup is essential IMO, also worcesteshire sauce, mixed herbs, Marigold bullion and some of this onion marmalade if I have some to hand.

Generally I would put Worcestershire sauce in a Cottage Pie (beef) but not in a Shepherds Pie (lamb). I do, however, put a glass of sherry in before my final bubble up in the pan, before transfering to the dish and covering with potato. It just cuts through the fatty flavours lamb can often have, particularly if starting with raw lamb mince. I also put in a courgette, onion, carrot and parsnip.

My family love it.

Ok I wil share my secret with you if you promise not to tell anyone else
I normally put in half a jar of branstons pickle - bulks it out a teenie bit and tastes lovely
Quite inetrested in the oats idea...

I'm interested in the branston pickle idea...

Doing fish pie for us to night but not a lot to put in it. Will bulk it out with veg on the side though and are also making fruit pies later so no one will starve.

Use bigger shepherds?

Bump out the minced lamb or beef with soya mince. You wont notice it's in there.

Am doing this as we speak, so it lasts us for 2 main meals instead of one. I always use the lentil option, and loads of grated veg (dd won't eat cooked carrots, so I hide them)
For herbs, I usually just use a bit of thyme, or oregano (always use a tin of toms as well) Rosemary makes it taste yukky (quote dd last time I experimented)