How to make shepherd's pie – recipe - MW

Easter is the time of year when you can have some leftover roast lamb hanging around. Traditionally, it will be put into a sheepskin pie, which today is usually made of fresh minced meat. Whatever you use, this dish will cheer on the most gloomy Monday, and you can make it until baked a day or two ago.

Prepare 15-20 minutes
Cook for 2 hours and 15 minutes
Serve 4-6

500g of leftover roast lamb, or 800g of raw minced lamb, pork, lamb or goat, preferably shoulder, but not lean (or even minced meat if you can hold any of them)
2 tbsp of dripping beef, or lamb dripping, if you have it
1 large onion
2 large carrots
3 celery
2 stems per rosemary and thyme
1 tbsp of flour
300ml lamb or beef
1 teaspoon pureed
2 tbsp of spicy sauce
Potato flour 1.5kg (example: rooster, pink kerr, maris piper, king edward)
100g of butter
1 tbsp of whole milk
Nutmeg, for grinding (optional)

1 Remove any excess fat and gristle
If you start with barbecue, cut it into small pieces, stripping away and removing any large piece of fat or gristle; If you have a lot of fat, you may need to add more meat, for a total of about 500g. Or see step 9 for alternatives.

2 Brown meat
Whether you use grilled meat or raw minced meat, heat the fat in a large, heavy casserole stew over medium heat. Fry the meat in batches until crispy and brown evenly, not just beige - with steak, be careful not to dry. Transfer the brown meat to a bowl and repeat with the rest.

3 Prepare vegetables

Peel and cut thin onions, and peel and cut carrots and celery into small dice. Choose leaves from rosemary and thyme, and chopped, remove stems (or keep them to taste another dish). In the same pan that you chopped minced meat, turn low to medium heat and add onions Add a little oil if pan on dry side.


4 Fried vegetables

Cook until the onions begin to soften, then add the carrots, celery and herbs. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until all vegetables are tender, but not tender or brown.

Sprinkle flour, stir to combine with vegetables, then pour in a little flour and scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge every bit stuck.

5 Finish filling the pie
Stir in tomato puree, followed by the rest and Worrouershire sauce. Return the meat to the pan, turn to high heat and simmer.

Turn it down to medium again, cover and let simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the lid, simmer for another 15 minutes, then set aside.

6 Prepare and boil spuds

While the meat is cooking, peel the potatoes and cut any large ones so they are about the size of the smallest. Place them in a pan of brine, boil and cook until soft - this time will depend on the size of your potatoes. Drain and heat into a hot pan to dry.

7 Finish topping

Slice the butter. Mash or dry the potatoes through the potato harvester back into the pan, then work in butter and milk, until you have a smooth, smooth mixture. Season with salt, black pepper and nutmeg, if you have it. Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C) / 390F / gas 6.

8 Build the cake, then bake

9 Variations on the theme

You can exchange sweet potatoes for regular varieties, if you like - treat it the right way. The sweet works brilliantly with the delicious aroma of lamb. If you don't have enough meat, or are trying to cut back, make up any shortages with cooked lentils, add them to the mixture in step 5 with meat.

MW