Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 bay leaf
  • 500ml/most of a pint beef stock
  • Butter
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • All purpose flour
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed/pureed
  • 800g ground beef (and/or lamb)
  • Milk
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1kg potatoes
  • Fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Optional Ingredients

  • Cheese of choice or butter
  • 1 cup of maize
  • 1 glass red wine

Directions

  1. In a large sauté pan fry the onions, carrots, and celery in your oil of choice until softened and beginning to colour
  2. Add the garlic and peas and fry for a couple of minutes more
    • Optionally add maize here too
  3. Remove the veg from the pan, increase the heat, and brown the meat well, in batches if necessary, seasoning as desired
  4. Return the veg to the pan, add the tomato paste, stir, and cook out for a minute
  5. Add enough flour to absorb any fat and liquid in the pan, about a heaped tablespoon, and cook out for a couple of minutes over low heat
  6. If using, add the wine and stir well to pick up all the tasty bits from the pan
  7. Add the stock, herbs and Worcestershire sauce and stir well
  8. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced and thickened and you have a kind of thick meat sauce
  9. Transfer to an oven-proof casserole dish and let cool completely
  10. Remove the herbs
  11. At this stage you can cover and put it in the fridge until you're ready to finish it off
    • If you don't cool the meat the mashed potato tends to sink into it and you get a weird soggy Shepherd's Pie
  12. When you're ready, preheat the oven to 200°C
  13. Make mashed potatoes
  14. Use a large spoon (or a piping bag if you're being really fancy) to transfer the mash to the meat dish
    • Use a fork to add some ridges to the potatoes - these catch and crisp in the oven, adding texture
  15. Top with grated cheese or some dots of butter
  16. Place in the hot oven for 20 minutes or until the top has turned golden brown and crisp
  17. Serve with the veg of your choice - many people also make extra gravy to pour over