Non Traditional Shepherds Pie Food

TRADITIONAL IRISH SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200C/400°F.
• Saute carrots in the olive oil until starting to get tender.
• Add in the onions and saute for a minute or two then add the meat.
• Season with black pepper and thyme.
• Cook until browned then drain fat.
• Add the butter and peas.
• Sprinkle with flour and stir through.
• Add tomato paste, wine and Worcestershire sauce.
• Let this reduce slightly then add the chicken stock. Allow to reduce down until you have a thick meaty gravy. Season to your taste.
• Remove from heat. Grease an oven proof dish** (9x13 works for me, as does an oval baker) with butter and add the sauce.
• Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes over top. Brush with egg and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if using.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until the potato is nice and browned on top.
• Serve as is or with some crusty bread to mop up that yummy sauce!

TRADITIONAL SHEPHERD'S PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• For the Potatoes: To a large pan add the potatoes, add cold water until the potatoes are covered and bring to a boil. Turn down to a low boil and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Drain the potatoes a colander, and add back to the pan. Mash until smooth and add the butter, milk, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside. For the Filling: Preheat oven to 350°F. Add vegetable oil to a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1/2 of the ground lamb. If the pan is too crowded, the meat will not brown, it will boil. Season with half of the salt and pepper, sauté until browned, breaking up the meat as it browns. Drain the meat keeping the fat in the pan and transfer to bowl or plate and repeat with the other 1/2 of the lamb, salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to medium and sauté the onions for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and thyme, cook for 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and mix well. Add the carrots, parsnip, peas, Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and cooked beef. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the liquid has reduced and the carrot and parsnips are tender. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat. Spread the potato mixture (or pipe with a piping bag for a decorative look) over the ground meat mixture. Make sure you make little peaks so they get a nice brown color in the oven. Place the pan onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

CLASSIC SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
• Place one tablespoon of the oil into a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onions until softened and beginning to turn golden-brown. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
• Add the carrots and celery and fry until softened and starting to turn golden-brown. Remove and set aside with the onions.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil and 50g/2oz of the butter and allow the butter to foam. Add the minced lamb or mutton, stirring it until it browns. Add the carrots and celery and stir well.
• Add 3 tablespoons water and crumble in the stock cube. Add the carrots and celery and stir well.
• Mash the potatoes with the remaining butter in a clean bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the fried onions.
• Transfer the meat into an ovenproof dish. Spread it out to make an even layer. Spoon over the mashed potato and tease the surface with a fork to create some peaks.
• Place the dish into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden-brown and crisp. Serve at the table in the dish.

TRADITIONAL SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, high heat, brown the meat and drain excess oil. Add the onion and mushrooms, letting cook till the onion softens. Add tomato and Worcester sauces, frozen vegetables, herbs, pepper, flour and beef stock; mix thoroughly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.
• While meat mixture is simmering, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and mash the potatoes, add butter, milk, grated cheese and pepper to the potatoes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F In a 3 quart rectangular baking dish, spread 1/2 potatoes on bottom of baking dish; spread out the meat mixture; top with the other 1/2 of potatoes; sprinkle paprika over top. Bake for 30-40minutes; potatoes should be lightly browned, and the pie heated thoughout.

TRADITIONAL SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Place potatoes in large saucepan and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and place pot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and drain.
• Return potatoes to the hot pan and set over the same burner. Add milk and 2 tablespoons butter; allow butter to melt from the residual heat. Mash potatoes with a potato masher until smooth. Stir in Cheddar cheese, sour cream, egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
• Heat olive oil and remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot and cook, stirring constantly, until onion begins to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add lamb and beef and cook, crumbling with a spoon and stirring often until browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle meat mixture with flour, remaining salt and pepper, rosemary, and thyme. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
• Add beef stock, tomato paste, and Worcestershire; cook, scraping any flavorful bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring mixture to a simmer. Cook until thickened and vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in peas. Transfer mixture to the prepared casserole dish and top with the prepared mashed potatoes.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

NON-TRADITIONAL SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• This recipe makes 8 servings, if you're cooking for a larger group, do not use a deep commercial tray only use a medium size. Cube beef into 1.5" pieces. Sprinkle kosher salt and pepper over, and mix thoroughly. Dust with flour (shaking in a ziploc bag works great) All of these following ingredients are going in the same wok. Pour some cooking oil in a large wok and sear the meat. Remove and set aside in a bowl. Add onions and some oil. Cook on medium heat for 10 min and cover, but stir regularly. Pour in wine, beef broth, oregano and seared beef. Simmer this for an hour. Remove the cover and simmer for another 45 min. At this point most of the accumulated liquid should be gone (turn the heat up during the 45 min if not). Stir constantly to prevent from burning. Add the sliced mushrooms 10 min before the liquid evaporates. And try to remember, this is just a labor of the love of cooking. Pour/spoon everything from the wok into a 13x9x3 baking dish. Spread it out evenly. I recommend you let this refrigerate overnight, but you don't have to. The topping can be prepared during the simmering of the beef, if you decide to not let the beef refrigerate. Preheat to 375 Boil the potatoes in a large pot until tender. Melt the butter and the add garlic and saute in a small skillet for a minute (don't burn it). Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot, keep the heat on and the excess moisture will evaporate quickly. Add the milk, cheese, butter and garlic to the potatoes and mash thoroughly. Gently spoon the potatoes even on top of the beef on the pan (if you opted not to refrigerate, you'll have to spoon carefully). We're trying to make a layer of potatoes over the beef. Use the spoon or a spatula to spread it evenly (don't push down too hard). Bake in the oven for 45 min (the potatoes should be golden brown). Please remember it's going to be extremely hot and if you burn your taste buds off in the first bite you won't be able to taste the rest.

TRADITIONAL SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Using a meat grinder or food processor finely chop cooked meat. Combine lamb and beef with garlic, onion and herbs. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour using a whisk to whisk into the bubbling butter and make a white roux. Add broth and simmer for 20 minutes. Place chopped beef mixture into baking dish. Add gravy to beef and adjust seasoning. Decorate top of beef with mashed potatoes. Bake for 45 minutes and serve.