Continental · serves 2

Shepherd's Pie

Mince under a mashed potato lid, browned in the oven. Cold-night food.

70 min A proper cook Non-vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 600g mince (mutton, chicken or soya)
  • 5 potatoes, boiled
  • 2 onions, 2 carrots, finely diced
  • 1 cup peas
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire or soy sauce
  • 1.5 cups stock
  • 1 tbsp maida
  • 100g butter
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup grated cheese

Method

  1. Brown the mince hard in a dry pan. Don't stir much — you want a crust, not grey meat.
  2. Onions and carrots in, 8 minutes, then maida, tomato paste, Worcestershire.
  3. Stock in, simmer 20 minutes till thick. Peas at the end. It should not be watery or the topping sinks.
  4. Mash the potatoes with butter, warm milk and plenty of salt. Keep it stiff.
  5. Spread the mash over the mince, then rough the surface up with a fork — those ridges are what go crisp.
  6. Cheese on top, 200°C for 25 minutes till browned. Rest 10 minutes.

Questions people ask about Shepherd's Pie

How long does Shepherd's Pie take?

About 70 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a proper cook. A good part of that is unattended, so you can get on with something else once it is going.

What is the one thing to get right in Shepherd's Pie?

Brown the mince hard in a dry pan. Don't stir much — you want a crust, not grey meat.

What can I use instead of mutton in Shepherd's Pie?

Use chicken thighs, but halve the cooking time. Jackfruit works for a vegetarian version and holds up to long cooking.

Can I make Shepherd's Pie ahead of time?

Yes, and it is better for it. Cool it fully, refrigerate for up to three days, and reheat gently with a splash of water. The flavours settle overnight.

Can I make Shepherd's Pie vegetarian?

Yes. Replace the mutton with paneer, firm tofu, mushrooms or soya chunks. All of them cook far faster than meat, so add them in the last five minutes rather than at the start, and keep the masala exactly as written.

What do you serve with Shepherd's Pie?

Bread, potatoes or a simple salad. It serves two as written. Double everything to feed four, but use a wider pan so the food still browns rather than steams.

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