Recipe: Shepherd’s pie

The difference between shepherd’s pie and cottage pie is that one uses lamb, while the other uses beef.

Ingredients

Filling
140g onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
50g butter
30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
2 medium sized carrots, chopped
½ sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
500g minced lamb
15ml (1 tbsp) tomato purée
50ml Worcestershire sauce
500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
240g peas
10ml (2 tsp) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mash
500g potatoes, peeled and cubed
120ml milk
100g butter
2 large egg yolks
Salt, to taste

Method

1. For the filling, sweat the onions and garlic in the butter and olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes.

2. Add the thyme, bay leaf and mince, breaking the mince up as it browns.

3. Stir in the tomato purée, then the Worcestershire sauce and stock. Cook until the sauce has a nice thick consistency, about 30 minutes. Make sure the stock doesn’t all cook away. Add the peas and parsley and season. Discard the bay leaf.

4. For the mash, place the potatoes in cold water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Drain.

5. While the potatoes are still warm, mash them or push them through a potato ricer. Warm the milk and butter until the butter has melted. Add to the mashed potatoes and mix thoroughly to warm through.

6. Remove the potatoes from the heat, mix in the egg yolks and season. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

7. Pour the meat mixture into an ovenproof dish. Spoon the mash over the meat and smooth. Use a fork to draw patterns on the surface.

8. Bake until a golden crust forms, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for a few minutes before serving.

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