1lb lamb ground or on the bone
1 medium onion
2 small carrots
1 small tin sweet corn
1tsp Tomato puree
¼ pint of lamb stock
Flour (optional)
Potatoes for mashing
Double Cream
Butter
Salt and pepper
Herbs (optional and whichever herbs you like)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to gas mark 6/ 200 C or 400 F
2. Dice the onion and carrots
3. Fry the onion until it becomes transparent
4. Add lamb and carrots to the onions and fry until the lamb meat is brown
5. Add drained sweetcorn and tomato puree and lamb stock to the fried mixture
6. Add a small amount of flour to thicken the sauce
7. Salt and pepper to taste
8. Peel, dice small and boil potatoes in salted water till they are soft
9. Mash the potatoes adding a small amount of cream, butter, salt and pepper to taste
10. Place lamb mix into a deep, oven proof glass dish like a casserole dish. The lamb mix shouldn't be too wet or the potato will sink and mix in. Add more vegetables should this happen or drain some of the liquor off.
11. Layer the creamed potato evenly over the mixture
12. Place in the oven for about 20 minutes
If you can't find ground lamb then boil up lamb on the bone beforehand. The meat will peel off the bone easily (although it will take up quite a bit of time) and is much sweeter than ground lamb.
Extra Notes
Traditionally Shepherd's Pie is a Scottish and Northern English dish.
Other similar dishes such as Cottage Pie use beef instead of lamb and a cheese topping on the potato, which would be grilled pre-serving. Other vegetables, herbs and mushrooms may be used as well, the original recipe would never have included corn or tomato paste. If desired the meat can be marinated pre-cooking in a strong spirit such as Brandy.
As my grandmother would say it certainly sticks to your sides, meaning its very filling and often served as a Winter main meal.
