Monday, April 6, 2015

Weekend Menu #67 : My overdue shepherd's pie

Straight out from my oven! I have not been using my oven much other than heating and defrosting my food. You know, I don't bake but I am always going for something different. So this is what I made last Saturday. Shepherd's pie!


It has been in my to-do list for a while and I could not be any happier that it turned out good.

I know that shepherd's pie calls for beef mince but do you know that traditionally shepherd's pie used lamb mince? Shepherd takes care of lambs, right? ^^ And those that use beef mince is called a cottage pie.

I prefer lamb to beef any time so I decided my pie to have lamb mince for my very first attempt.

This recipe is taken from BBC Good Food which is very simple and hassle-free. I think I am going to incorporate this recipe in my recipe book and cook it when I feel like having a good pie.

This dish is everything that I look for - can be prepared ahead and freeze, tasty and great substitute for rice. When you do not feel like having rice, this is the dish for you. I added in my comments in red for my reference as well. ^^


Ingredients:
500g minced lamb (I bought sliced lamb shoulder and finely chopped myself)
900g potatoes, chopped into cubes
2 medium sized carrot, chopped
1 big onion, chopped
500ml beef stock
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp fresh milk
1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
85g butter
Grated Mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp sunflower oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)

Methods:
1. Prepare all the ingredients. In a saucepan, heat up about 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
2. Once heated up, add in chopped onion and carrots into the pan. Cook for few minutes before adding in the lambs. Turn up the heat. Stir and break the meat. Brown the meat, then add in tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce and fry for few minutes.
3.Pour in beef stock, bring to simmer and then cover and cook for 40 minutes, uncovering halfway through.
4. Boil potatoes in salted water for 10-15 minutes until soft. Drain and mash with butter and milk. (I did not mash it too much as I like some chunks in my mash)

5. Pre-heat the oven for 10 minutes. I used Microwave+Grill function on my Samsung microwave oven. 
6. Place the mince on an oven-proof tray, then top with the mash. Ruffle the mash with fork. Add grated mozzarella all over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until top turned golden brown. (I baked for 25 minutes in the oven till the top has changed colour and when pie is firmer when poke with a chopstick) Leave for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

My baby is out from my oven

My wonderful Saturday lunch. Love the smell emitted from my oven when it was cooked. 

Anyone want a bite?

Soft and moist inside and cheesy potato crust on top

Of course I could not finish it all. I freeze the leftover for hubby. To heat up without thaw, just bake for an hour or so until piping hot in the centre. Or if it is thawed, just heat up for about 20 minutes till when you poke fork into the pie, it is hot inside.

Hope you like it as much as I enjoy sharing this recipe. :)

11 comments:

  1. Love love love this shepard's pie Rose! Mum usually use minced lamb abd beef, I just use minced meat, cheaper, hehe.. I can finish the whole pie, yummzzz...

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  2. Lovely! Now I feel like baking one too...but girl's gone back to the jungle. Next weekend, perhaps.

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  3. Oh now i know the difference between shepherd's pie and cottage pie. =) meanwhile my oven at home also underutilized as i prefer the pan over it. i should try my hands at baking too. lol

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  4. Long time didnt bake this pie.

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  5. I think I would like a piece of shepherd's pie, please? Maybe I need to get my oven working again...its been resting for too long.

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  6. Wow, your pie looks so tasty! Way better than those sold in SR.

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  7. wow...not bad and well done. Im sure your family enjoy the pie!

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  8. I love Shepherd's Pie, and my favourite is with lamb! Yours looks delicious, Rose! :)

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  9. Yum..yum! Wonder if I should make this tonight.. ^.^

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