Shepherd's Pie

Recipe by: Sarah Butler

Shepherd Pie is an old-school recipe families have loved for decades. As popular with kids now as years ago, the best recipes never go out of fashion.

Shepherd's Pie

SERVES

6

PEOPLE

PREP TIME

35

MINUTES

COOKING TIME

245

MINUTES

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp olive oil

  • 2 lbs round steak mince

  • 2 rashers, chopped into very small pieces

  • 1 beef OXO cube, crushed

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 25g butter1 onion, diced

  • 3 carrot,s diced

  • 1 parsnip, diced

  • 1 stick of celery, diced

  • 1 garlic clove, crushed

  • 60ml white wine (optional)

  • 1 tbsp self-raising or plain flour

  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme

  • 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

  • 2 tbsp tomato purée

  • 1 bay leaf

  • Handful frozen peas

  • ¾ - 1 pint chicken stock  

  • For the potato topping:

  • 7-8 medium-large potatoes

  • 50g cheddar

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 40ml warm milk

  • 25g butter  

Method

  1. While preparing the filling, cook the potatoes until tender, mash with a little butter and milk, egg yolk and cheese and season well.

  2. To make the filling add 2 tbsp olive oil to a frying pan on high heat and cook mince and rashers until browned all over.

  3. Add a crushed OXO beef stock cube to mince and rashers and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

  4.  In the same frying pan add 2 tbsp olive oil and 25 g butter on medium-high heat, brown off onion, carrots, parsnips and celery for 2 minutes then add garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.

  5. Add 60 ml white wine (if using) and allow to burn off almost completely.

  6. Return meat to vegetables in frying pan and add 1 tbsp flour and combine all ingredients.

  7. Add Worcestershire sauce, herbs and tomato purée.

  8. Add enough chicken stock to just cover the meat and vegetables, stir and bring to a simmer:

  9. Add bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.

  10. Simmer on the hob for 20 minutes on a low heat covered, or for a slow cooking option, transfer to an oven-proof casserole dish or pot and cook on medium for 2-3 hours.

  11. Add the peas as the end to maintain their colour.

  12. Add meat and vegetable mixture into serving dish and garnish with fresh parsley.

  13. Remove and dispose of bay leaf.

  14. Add potatoes to the meat dish to make an even layer, and decorate with a fork along the top.

  15. Cook in oven at 180°C/160C fan/gas 4 for 20 minutes or until golden.

You may also like...