Meal Seventeen - Nathan's Shepherds Pie

Firstly, apologies for the lack of cooking/blogging action over the past few days. It's been a bit manic in all honesty. A few changes in my job role have certainly contributed and that along with a guest over on the Friday and Saturday night meant that my meal plans were kind of out of sync.

For Friday nights (late) dinner, I decided to go for a family favourite - the humble Shepherds Pie.

I can't remember where I picked the original recipe up from, but after numerous years of adjustments and tweaks, I'm happy to share this wonderful dish with you.

The trick to this dish is all in the preparation. The ingredients may be similar to ones you've used in shepherds pies before, but with a little care and attention, this dish can have the "wow" factor.

If you follow the method below - without blowing my own trumpet - you will have not tasted a better version.

Ingredients:

500g minced lamb

6 rashers of smoked bacon, cubed

1 carrot, grated

1 onion, half grated half finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

maris piper potatoes

1/2 punnet chestnut mushrooms

a handful of fresh rosemary (and it must be fresh), chopped

1 1/2 glasses of good red wine (if you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it!)

250ml vegetable stock

1 egg yolk

100g grated parmesan

milk

50g grated mature cheddar

salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg. celsius. Add the minced lamp to a frying pan and brown off for 4-5 minutes. (Don't worry about the lack of oil, the lamb will produce plenty). Add the bacon and continue to fry for a few more minutes.

2. Add the carrot, celery and onion and continue to fry over a medium heat until soft.

3. Gradually add the wine and cook out the alcohol. 

4. Add the mushrooms and allow to soak up the juices in the pan.

5. Gradually add the vegetable stock and stir through continuously.

6. Add the rosemary and cook through for a few more minutes.

7. Reduce to a low heat and simmer for a good 20-25 minutes. (This allows the "gravy" to reduce down).

8. Meanwhile, peel and half your spuds and add to cold water. On a high heat, continue to boil the potatoes until of a consistency to make mash. (Maris piper is a floury potato, so keep an eye that they don't just fall apart.)

9. When the potatoes are done, add a splash of milk, the egg yolk and parmesan. Then whip and mash yourself into a frenzy. (No-one likes lumpy mash!)

10. Spoon the lamb mixture into an oven proof dish and level with a spoon.

11. Spoon over the mash potato, and with a fork, create some grooves across the top. Sprinkle over the grated cheddar and pop in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

12. Serve with carrots, beans and some wilted spinach.