With so much work and so little time, comfort food has been high on my agenda this last few weeks. I know its summer and meals, as a rule, are lighter and altogether less substantial than your average “line your rib cage” Shepherds Pie but I´m going with it anyway because I am delving into my favourite recipes – and this IS my absolute favourite. Its a fusion of wonderful minced Welsh Lamb, rich Plum Tomatoes and sweet smokey Paprika (Pimienton Dulce).
I always utilise Organic Welsh Lamb for my Shepherds Pie whilst in the UK and firmly believe it is worth the extra expense. The taste is infinitely superior. The lamb for this recipe was sourced from Rhug Organic in Corwen and was minced by hand with my food processor´s mincing attachment.
The mash is a beautiful blend of potatoes and root vegetables. You can use any concoction that takes your fancy but I particularly like Carrots, Parsnips, Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash.
Like I said, I never promised a traditional Shepherd´s Pie
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 900g/2lb minced lamb
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 1 large tin chopped Plum tomatoes in rich juice
- 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 450ml/16fl oz chicken, beef or lamb stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tsp Pimienton Dulce (Sweet Spanish Paprika)
For the Mash
- 1lb Potatoes
- ½ lb of Mixed Root Vegetables (Carrots, Parsnips, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips)
- 55ml/2fl oz milk
- 75g/3oz butter
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- Sprinkling of Grated Cheese & a dash of paprika
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
- In a large non-stick casserole dish heat a little oil. Add the onion and cook for five minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Heat a little extra olive oil and fry the mince, stirring, until browned all over. While the meat is browning you will need to break up any lumps to ensure even cooking and a nice finished texture.
- Stir in the onions, crushed garlic and add the flour (this helps to thicken the juices) and paprika. Mix well and add the bay leaves, thyme and the chopped anchovy fillets and stir.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, stock and Worcestershire sauce.
- Bring the mixture to the boil, adding a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let it simmer for about 45 minutes.
- For the mash, boil the potatoes and mixed root vegetables until soft. Drain them in a sieve and place into a clean bowl. Add the milk, butter and egg yolk, and mash together. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Pour the meat mixture into an ovenproof dish. Spread the mash on top, smooth over and mark with a fork. Dust with the grated cheese and a very light dusting of paprika
- Place in the oven and cook until the surface is bubbling and golden-brown.
So, there you have it, my favourite dish. Its not a summer dish – most definitely intended for those months when you need something to line your ribs.
I have yet to write up the dessert we had – but it was fabulous Rhubarb Crumble with Ginger Ice Cream. Recipe to come, so stay tuned for that.
Check out SoFeminine.co.uk for more wonderful ideas.