Shepherds pie?

Lauragoesmad

I'm a vegie making my mam shepherds pie tonight for dinner. Any tips for me, folks?

Dizzyblonde

Lauragoesmad wrote: »

I'm a vegie making my mam shepherds pie tonight for dinner. Any tips for me, folks?

Here's my recipe:

Fry a diced carrot (or 2 if they're small) and a chopped onion in oil for a few minutes. Add minced meat (I use beef, some people use lamb). Fry until browned. Stir in a dessertspoon of flour, then add a pint of beef stock (I use 2 red Oxo cubes). Add a squirt of tomato puree, a pinch of mixed herbs and a dash of worcestershire sauce if you have it. Season with a little salt and black pepper. Simmer for around 30 minutes.
Steam or boil your potatoes until cooked then mash with plenty of butter and some milk until fluffy. Put the meat sauce in a dish and cover with the potato. Draw a fork across the top to rough it up and it will crisp nicely. Cook at 180 degrees, gas mark 5 for around 30 minutes.

If your dish is shallow, stand it on a baking tray in the oven in case it bubbles over.

olaola

I'm not usually one for 'out of a can' dinners, but my friends Mum used to make this and got me hooked! The recipe is on the side of the can.

1 can Campbell's Veg soup
Mince
Onion
Spuds
Cheese

Fry mince - add onion when browned. When onion is softened, add can of soup + some water.

Boil spuds, mash with milk/cream whatever you like & add grated cheese.

Cook in oven/under grill for a bit.

Et Voila!

denashpot

adding some mushrooms to the 2 recipes above would also be lovely.

mike65

That sounds good (and quick)

Mike.

denashpot

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

Here's my recipe:

Fry a diced carrot (or 2 if they're small) and a chopped onion in oil for a few minutes. Add minced meat (I use beef, some people use lamb). Fry until browned. Stir in a dessertspoon of flour, then add a pint of beef stock (I use 2 red Oxo cubes). Add a squirt of tomato puree, a pinch of mixed herbs and a dash of worcestershire sauce if you have it. Season with a little salt and black pepper. Simmer for around 30 minutes.
Steam or boil your potatoes until cooked then mash with plenty of butter and some milk until fluffy. Put the meat sauce in a dish and cover with the potato. Draw a fork across the top to rough it up and it will crisp nicely. Cook at 180 degrees, gas mark 5 for around 30 minutes.

If your dish is shallow, stand it on a baking tray in the oven in case it bubbles over.

sounds like a lovely recipe. going to give it a try myself.;)

Alun

I was always taught that a Sheperd's Pie was made with lamb and if it was made with beef it was a Cottage Pie.

Anyway, I pretty much follow the same recipe as Dizzyblonde (even down to the Oxo cubes!) except I add some celery along with the carrot, and add some frozen peas and a good bit of chopped flat leaf parsley before putting it in the oven.

Dizzyblonde

Alun wrote: »

I was always taught that a Sheperd's Pie was made with lamb and if it was made with beef it was a Cottage Pie./QUOTE]

You're right, but for some reason we've always called it shepherd's pie in our family even though we use beef. It's a bit like the Irish Stew beef/lamb situation.

Darwin

My version (similar to Dizzyblonde's)
Fry mince with some onion, add Oxo cube, handful of Herbs De Provence (available in Lidl), small dash of crushed garlic, few drops of Tabasco sauce, finally add some ground black pepper.
Boil a few small potatoes. Take three chopped carrots and microwave for 6 minutes so they are easy to mash. Add mashed carrots and mince to cooking dish. Mash potatoes adding butter and milk. Layer mashed potato on top of mince, finally add grated cheese and pop in oven for 20 minutes at 200c. All the bloody washing up is a pain though!

XJR

I assume as OP is veggie this recipe should be vegetarian ?

olaola

XJR wrote: »

I assume as OP is veggie this recipe should be vegetarian ?

She's making it for her mother, and asking us carnivores for advice

Dizzyblonde

Sometimes instead of topping it with mash I layer cooked thick slices of potato on top, brush with oil and bake it until the potatoes are roasted - around 40 minutes. This is especially good with new potatoes.

Pigletlover

I don't like gravy so I make mine a bit tomatoey. I fry a chopped carrot, onion and sliced mushrooms in a little oil for 3-4 minutes, then add a clove of crushed garlic, fry for another minute and add the mince. I use beef but lamb is fine, I love vegetables so sometimes I add peppers and celery too. Fry the mince over a gentle heat until cooked through and then add a tablespoon of tomato puree, stir through and then add a can of tomatoes. allow to simmer for around 20 mins You can season at this point - I use salt, black pepper and basil. Meanwhile, prepare the potatoes, I have plenty in 4 medium ones - I either use mashed potatoes with lots of cream and pile on top of the cooked mince finished off with gruyere and paremsan, or else I slice peeled potatoes and parboil in milk and cream for around 15 - 20 mins and then layer them on top of the mince, again topped off with gruyere and parmesan. Then place in an oven at 190 C until the cheese melts and turns golden brown, approx 15 minutes.

I use 500g of mince and get 2 large portions but you could probably get 3 decent enough sized ones from the quantities that I posted.

tSubh Dearg

My recipe is a mix of the above only my secret ingredient is Wostershire sauce. Makes it yummy!

Zorba

For the veggie option substitute mince for quorn mince instead, personally i think it's nicer and i'm not a veggie !

Overheal

never used an Oxo cube before - just throw that into the mix (mixes with oil and grease) or does it need to be mixed with water first?

Dizzyblonde

Overheal wrote: »

never used an Oxo cube before - just throw that into the mix (mixes with oil and grease) or does it need to be mixed with water first?

You can crumble it in and stir well after you add the water, or you can crumble it into the water first. it makes no difference really.

watna

tSubh Dearg wrote: »

My recipe is a mix of the above only my secret ingredient is Wostershire sauce. Makes it yummy!

Was going to say this! Anything mince based is yummy with worcestershire sauce.. as is cheese on toast!

TequilaMockingBird

Zorba wrote: »

For the veggie option substitute mince for quorn mince instead, personally i think it's nicer and i'm not a veggie !

Strange, I'm the same! Quorn FTW!

OP - Why not try using the Quorn mince, then you and your Mum could eat the same tonight. Tesce and Dunnes etc usually stock it.

Alun

sueme wrote: »

Strange, I'm the same! Quorn FTW!

OP - Why not try using the Quorn mince, then you and your Mum could eat the same tonight. Tesce and Dunnes etc usually stock it.

You'd have to lose the Oxo cube and the Worcestershire Sauce (it has anchovies in it!) though.

Dizzyblonde

tSubh Dearg wrote: »

My recipe is a mix of the above only my secret ingredient is Wostershire sauce. Makes it yummy!

watna wrote: »

Was going to say this! Anything mince based is yummy with worcestershire sauce.. as is cheese on toast!

I have worcestershire sauce in my recipe - you mustn't have seen it.............:( *sniff.........

Slice 2 leeks and cook til soft in butter and mash them up with your mashed potato topping. Mmmmmmmm.