Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's pie is a traditional English dish that consists of a bottom layer of minced (ground) meat covered with mashed potato and optionally a layer of cheese. The mince is traditionally lamb (hence Shepherd) although in North America it is often made with minced (ground) beef which is also known as Cottage Pie. In Britain, 'shepherd's pie' is always made with lamb, and 'cottage pie' always with beef. The mince layer is made by frying the meat in oil with finely chopped onions (and sometimes also with garlic, chopped carrots, peas or other vegetables, and herbs such as rosemary or oregano). It is then simmered in stock, tomato puree and sometimes wine. Once this is done, the mash layer is added to the top, and the entire pie is baked in the oven until golden and preferably crisp.

In England, both Cottage Pie and Shepherds’ Pie are popular ‘pub grub’ lunchtime staples.

In North America a variation on shepherd's pie, sometimes called "cowboy pie", is made with a layer of ground beef, a layer of corn and a layer of mashed potatoes. In the northeast U.S., green beans are often used instead of corn, and frequently a layer of tomato sauce is added to the beef. Another twist on this traditional dish is Thanksgiving Leftovers Shepherd's Pie.

Beef Shepherd's Pie (Cottage Pie)
From Food Network Kitchens

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, half the salt, and oregano. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until mushrooms are soft and tomato paste has turned brick red, about 8 minutes more. Stir in the beef, the broth, the remaining salt, the Worcestershire, and some pepper, breaking up any large clumps of meat, cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the meat and vegetables to a 2-quart oval casserole dish and spread the mashed potatoes over the top, leaving a 1/4-inch boarder around the edge. Make a decorative pattern on the top of the potatoes, if desired. Sprinkle with cheese, if using, and dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake until potatoes brown and the juices bubble around the edge, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

4 - 6 servings

Shepherd's Pie
from http://www.rampantscotland.com

In a land where sheep were a main food supply, it is not surprising that mutton and lamb form the basis of many Scottish dishes. Here is the traditional "Shepherd's Pie" - the variant based on beef is usually called "Cottage Pie".

Minced lamb - 450g (1 lb)
Potatoes - 700g (1½ lb)
Large onion
Mushrooms - 50g (2 oz)
Bay leaf
2 Carrots
Plain flour - 25g (1 oz)
Tomato puree - 1 tbsp
Butter - 25g (1 oz)
Milk - 4 tbsp
Lamb or beef stock - 300ml (½ pint)
Cheese - 50g (2 oz)

Dry fry the lamb with the chopped onion, bay leaf, sliced mushrooms and diced carrots for 8-10 minutes. Add the flour and stir for a minute. Slowly blend in the stock and tomato puree. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and boils. Cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes. Remove the bayleaf and place in a 1.7 litre (3 pint) ovenproof serving dish.

At the same time, cook the potatoes in boiling water for 20 minutes until tender. Drain well, mash with the butter and milk and mix well. Spread on top of the mince mixture and sprinkle over with the grated cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 200C/400F (Gas Mark 6). Serve hot with green vegetables.