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| SHEPHERDS PIE (BRITISH) | |
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Before we start, let us be clear and lets get it right. Shepherds pie is made with lamb, cottage pie is made with beef. Never in the history of the British isles has cheese ever come close to either. If you see cheese anywhere near a recipe for either, put it down to the USA's obsession to add cheese to anything that moves - it doesn't generally belong with meat unless you desire lead in your stomach, this said. 1 lb. lean lamb, minced 1 large onion, sliced 1 medium carrot, chopped 1 stick celery, chopped enough beef stock to cover salt and pepper 3 to 4 tsp. corn starch or 2 Bisto (if you know what it is) and 1 corn starch 2 lb. good mashing potatoes 4 oz. (1 stick) butter salt and pepper Let's get this right and the best way: Add minced lamb into a casserole dish, add onion, carrot, celery, beef stock, corn starch and/Bisto/corn starch, salt and pepper, to taste, and stir. Cook in a slow oven, say 275°F for 2 hours. You can do all this on stove top for about 20 minutes BUT the flavor is never the same. When complete, drain off gravy and reserve.
Add back enough gravy to the meat to make it moist. Gently add the potato to the top and build up. Spread with a fork, finally making fork marks both up and down and across to form a basket like pattern. Put oven temperature at 400°F, then bake until potato is crispy and golden on the peaks (about) 30 minutes. Serve with remaining gravy and steamed cabbage (preferably Savoy, if you can get it). NO CHEESE, PLEASE. Submitted by: Neil - a Brit | |
Boil and mash potatoes with milk, butter, salt and pepper, however DO NOT make it into a wet paste. It should be firm and almost chunky.| 967 reviews | Add review Share |
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recipe reviews #40439
Cuss (California) says:
shepherds pie = lamb, cottage pie = beef, no cheese, and bisto is a gravy base that "browns, seasons and thickens in one" (hence the name). this recipe is completely non-offensive. lighten up. seriously.
#40291
JimBo (Massachusetts) says:
Neil, Potatoes, did not come from Ireland they are native American as also Tomatoes, Squash, Corn, etc. So what did Jerry said: "you people use before you sent your people here to survive on our Turkeys and wild rice, etc. that Native Americans gave them. It is amazing how you Europeans have such a short memory. Italians came here and thought Tomatoes were poisonous. Now they are convinced they invented them. Ug."
A few minor points, Jerry...they didn't SEND their people here. Many of them left England because they felt England was becoming TOO LIBERAL. :) And tomatoes actually hail from Peru... :)
Neil is great...I don't understand how anyone could be insulted by this recipe...I honestly don't.
JimBo
A few minor points, Jerry...they didn't SEND their people here. Many of them left England because they felt England was becoming TOO LIBERAL. :) And tomatoes actually hail from Peru... :)
Neil is great...I don't understand how anyone could be insulted by this recipe...I honestly don't.
JimBo
#40264
Marjorie (United States) says:
Neil,
Thanks for the recipe. My mother is a retired home economics (family and consumer science for the younger ones) teacher. She always taught me to try a recipe as it is written, first, to see how it is supposed to taste, then "Marge it up". The first time I had Shepard's Pie, I thought that was the way it was supposed to be. Never knew that it was supposed to be prepared with lamb and no cheese. Now I have to try it this way . . .
Marjorie
Thanks for the recipe. My mother is a retired home economics (family and consumer science for the younger ones) teacher. She always taught me to try a recipe as it is written, first, to see how it is supposed to taste, then "Marge it up". The first time I had Shepard's Pie, I thought that was the way it was supposed to be. Never knew that it was supposed to be prepared with lamb and no cheese. Now I have to try it this way . . .
Marjorie
#40239
Jacqui - a transplanted Brit (New York) says:
Way to go Neil-this takes me home again!
#40148
Chezisle (Washington) says:
how i enjoyed reading these comments. all combined, they were funny and instructive! can't wait to try the authentic pie recipe. sounds delicious and i am french!!!!
#40112
Patti (California) says:
It's nice to see a very authentic recipe! I love the fork/basket effect! I'll try this (for my friends who won't eat beef) AND some of the suggested variations. Loved all the comments! For those who hate lamb, as I did, visit New Zealand and Australia and you'll be amazed how wonderful the lamb tastes there!
Way too much cheese? - for sure for us lactose intolerant. But a bit of sharp cheddar on apple pie goes so far back it probably came over with the colonists when we revolted from -oh , yes, - the Brits. Thanks, Neil, for the recipe and the fun!
Way too much cheese? - for sure for us lactose intolerant. But a bit of sharp cheddar on apple pie goes so far back it probably came over with the colonists when we revolted from -oh , yes, - the Brits. Thanks, Neil, for the recipe and the fun!
#40050
Debbie (Texas) says:
I enjoyed reading the recipe for British shepherd's pie and am sure that it is delicious. However, I must comment that the writer's sarcasm struck me as rather patronizing. Not all American cooks add cheese to everything and we are not morons.
#40028
Tammie (Arkansas) says:
To each his own, I am floored by the number of childish posts about one mans recipe about his pie. It's pie people not your first born he offended. I am an American and happen to LOVE cheese, so what if he says NO CHEESE, it's a personal choice. Let's have a cow about it. *No pun intended* L M F A O! Thanks for the BRIT Recipe Neil! Sounds yummy!
#39916
Darren (United Kingdom) says:
Neil.
Thank you for the recipe and Well Said. Very factual. Not snobbish at all given that 99% of the time people prefer the correct recipe over the mutation.
Darren
Thank you for the recipe and Well Said. Very factual. Not snobbish at all given that 99% of the time people prefer the correct recipe over the mutation.
Darren
#39817
Kitty (Australia) says:
Just made cottage pie last night....with cheese on top. :) And extra cheese just now on my left overs. :D
#39725
Waldo50676 (Iowa) says:
I think Neil is confused, we have an American dish called Hamburger Pie, which is similar to his beloved dish in that it is topped with mashed potatoes. Many people call it Shepherds pie, and like Neil it makes me a bit crazy.
#39715
T.J.JOHNSON (United Kingdom) says:
To add to my previous comment you can add carrots and onion (but they must be minced or cut fine so not to have big chunks) to give it more flavour. Top with cheese or toms if you like (or both). Serve with Peas (sprinkle with Worchestershire sauce).
#39713
T.J.JOHNSON (United Kingdom) says:
Shepherds Pie DOES NOT HAVE Celery or Carrot. It is a Dish using up cold Lamb from Sunday Roast and topped with Mash. Make the gravy with Bisto (as this was the only thickener used then). Any other way is made up by Chefs.
#39666
Margaret (United States) says:
I have made Shepherd's pie with green beans, mashed potatoes and freshly-ground beef, no lamb please. I do not eat cheese and I do not care for lamb. Sounds bland to me. Of course, I live in the South, so most food other than southern food is bland to me.
#39578
Cyndi (Mississippi) says:
Whew. Glad I checked this out. I thought it was made with German shepherds. I guess that's another European variation.
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