Today QUIZINE IN QUARANTINE brings you the most comforting of comfort foods, the great Shepherd’s Pie!
If you have never tried this, you really are missing out. Follow this recipe and rustle yourself one up ASAP.
As a result of the intertwined history of the British and the Irish, the two sides lay claim to this amazing invention. There is an important distinction to be made between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie from the onset however, and this may also help explain the history of the dishes.
They say the precursor to the Shepherd’s pie was the Cottage pie. This came about in the 1700s and early 1800s. Here, poor families were constantly in search of ways to incorporate leftovers into a nice new meal. This innovative thinking prompted by frugality, led to the genius invention of leftover meat being matched up with the affordable potato to create the cottage pie!
Fast forward to the 19th century where the term was shepherd’s pie was first coined. Although for a while cottage pie and shepherd’s pie were used interchangeably, a distinction would soon be made. Cottage pie = beef and shepherd’s pie = lamb/mutton (because shepherds look after the sheep!)
We used minced mutton and so this is a shepherd’s pie, feel free to do the same thing with beef (doesn’t have to be minced) and you’ll have yourself a cottage pie!
INGREDIENTS
MEAT BASE:
500g of minced meat (mutton)
1 chopped onion
1 can chopped tomato
2 chopped carrots
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp turmeric
3 cardamom
1 bayleaf
2 black pepper corns
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp rosemerry
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil
MASH POTATO LAYERING:
6 medium potatoes
1 egg
125-150ml milk
150g butter
150g cheddar cheese
1. Let’s begin with our mash layering. Start by peeling potatoes and chopping into slices.
2. Throw potato slices into pan and add boiling water. Put pan on fire and close lid. Cook for approx 15 mins making sure to check in regularly.
3. Now add milk, butter and cheese. Begin mashing the mixture as it cooks on slow heat. Mix and mash until you get a nice texture. Leave to rest.
4. Now we move to the meat base. Add oil to pan then throw in onions. Lightly brown these for approx 5 mins.
5. Now add your minced meat, bay leaf, cardamom, pepper corns, cinnamon stick and salt. Close lid and cook for approx 10 mins.
6. Now add carrots, rosemary, thyme, ground black pepper and flour.
7. Add garlic paste, ginger paste, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin, turmeric and garam masala powder to cooking pot and mix.
8. Next goes in your chopped tomato for the sauce base. Mix well, close lid and cook for another 5 mins.
9. Once this is cooked, rest for 10 mins and start assembling the pie!
10. Drop the meat into a bowl and then cover with mash. Scale the top with a fork to ensure even cooking and sprinkle with some cheese.
11. Cook in oven for approx 45 mins (or until golden brown) on 180°C.
12. Rest for 10 mins, cut yourself a piece and indulge in one of the most comforting comfort foods out there!