| REVIEWED RECIPES |
| More popular recipes... |
| FEATURED |
| SPECIAL RECIPES |
| More featured recipes... |
 RECIPE COLLECTION |
| 30 Minutes or Less · Budget Stretchers · Cook's Favorites · Country |
| SHEPHERDS PIE (BRITISH) | |
|
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 |
Related recipes
recipesSPREAD THE LOVE - SHARE THIS RECIPE | |||
| Print recipe: | Printer-friendly version | ||
| Link to recipe: | Copy | ||
| Email recipe to: | |||
recipe reviews #43840
Nigel (France) says:
I am staggered at the vitriol expressed my some correspondents. What unpleasant people you are. I suggest that you (as we Brits say), "Have a word with yourself!" Or take another pill. Excellent recipe, Neil, thanks.
#43876
Anne (Colorado) says:
This is for JimBo in regards to your comments to Jerry..... It's quite elementary my Dear, England was not becoming liberal at all..... due to religious persecutions most fled from England, such as the Puritans.
And I agree with Jerry 100%... it's very true.
And I agree with Jerry 100%... it's very true.
#44142
Darlene (Ontario) says:
Neil, My Mom made what you call cottage pie when I was little and we loved it, beef, corn , carrots, onions, season to taste and of course gravy to moisten. bake in an oven and hmmm hmmm. My question to a Brit is how do you cook lamb so it is tasty. I have tried and had poor results. I was beginning to think it was an aquired taste. Any suggestions, Please. Thanks for the info on shepherds or cottage, signed a Canadian. P.S. No cheese Please.
#44209
Meg - another Brit (Michigan) says:
Neil is correct. Cottage or shepherd's pie traditionally was made on Monday,which was washing day,and used up the left over Sunday roast meat, veg (usually peas and carrots) and potatoes and so stretched the budget. We are of course talking about the days when women did laundry without the luxury of home washing machines and refrigerators. Being able to leave the food unattended in the oven was a time saver. Bisto is a shortcut from flour and gravy browning. Cheese was an expensive luxury too in those days!
#44340
Patricia (Pennsylvania) says:
We Americans DO cheese everything from chocolate to filet mignon BUT don't let that stop you from inviting me to dinner!
Pat in Philly 08/31/2010 8:17 EST
Pat in Philly 08/31/2010 8:17 EST
#44428
TL (Texas) says:
This is the rudest recipe I've ever read, and I can't wait to try it!
#44477
Roberta (British Columbia) says:
Thanks so much, Neil! As a youngster living in France (N.A.T.O.), we had hot school lunches at the British Base in Fontainbleau. I remember the Shepherd's Pie vividly, & it was delicious! Unfortunately, I've only been able to find recipes that require BEEF, rather than LAMB. Whoever heard of a Shepherd watching over COWS!!!! (I keep trying to explain that one to those who think that the meat in Shepherd's pie is beef) Anyway, I can't wait to try your recipe! YUM!
#44575
MT (Texas) says:
To Darlene: I found that Australian lamb has the mildest flavor with New Zealand lamb having the strongest... Try the Australian, I think you will like it.
To Neil: Thank you for your recipe; I'm looking forward to trying it.
To Neil: Thank you for your recipe; I'm looking forward to trying it.
#44728
Jan (Maine) says:
Thank you Neil! I like cottage pie very much and I am American, but with English and Scottish background was always told Shepherds Pie was made with lamb. For years, my friends said I was wrong, and I agree NO cheese, Americans eat far too much of it! Just look at the population...most are very overweight!
#44750
Sonia (Netherlands) says:
Thanks a ton. My husband loved it!!!
#44769
Moira (North Carolina) says:
British myself, but have discovered using a pie-shell for the shepherd's pie goes over very well. Otherwise, it is Meat Stew, after all. I also add some curry powder to season the meat mixture, which I usually make from ground beef. I live in America where it's not easy to find ground lamb everywhere.
I've made it with a layer of creamed curried corn between the meat mixture and potatoes. That, combined with the pie crust, provide a meal everyone will eat again at lunch the next day.
Neil, you're dogmatically purist. Is cheese allowed for a snack before the Sheperd's Pie is served?
:-) Moira
I've made it with a layer of creamed curried corn between the meat mixture and potatoes. That, combined with the pie crust, provide a meal everyone will eat again at lunch the next day.
Neil, you're dogmatically purist. Is cheese allowed for a snack before the Sheperd's Pie is served?
:-) Moira
#44893
American Girl (Washington) says:
Neil - you are my recipe hero. Way to call us out on the "cheese" issue. Come on you Yanks, lighten up (talking to those of us packing an extra 10 lbs or more. . . which is basically this whole country) have a little sense of humor!
Shepherds Pie over Cottage Pie for me.
American Girl
Shepherds Pie over Cottage Pie for me.
American Girl
#44978
Crystal (Texas) says:
Neil,
What a great recipe....thanks for sharing
What a great recipe....thanks for sharing
#44987
Margaret Morey (Illinois) says:
I learned to make Shepherds Pie in British high school. We were taught it was an excellent way to use left overs, cheese being a topping of choice. I have made Shepherds Pie many times since coming to America in 1964, my problem is, it's becomming harder to find a shepherd willing to submit.
#45060
Robbie (California) says:
love to eat
| — REVIEW PAGE — |
| Prev12627293062Next |
| ADD YOUR REVIEW |
Related recipe search
recipe searchPopular recipes
recipes- OLD-FASHIONED QUAKER OATS FAMOUS ... 73
- APRIL'S LOUISIANA CHICKEN SPAGHETTI 37
- SCALLOPED POTATOES - 50 SERVINGS 1
- TURKEY BUTTER MEATBALLS 1
- RASPBERRY ALMOND SHORTBREAD THUMBPRINTS
| RECIPE PULSE |
| TRENDING NOW |
—Recipe Index—
Appetizers · Beverages · Breads · Cakes · Candies · Casseroles · Cookies · Desserts · Eggs · Favorites · Fish · Fruits · Holidays · International (A-I) · International (J-Z) · Italian · Main Dishes · Meats · Mexican · Outdoor · Pastas · Pies · Potatoes · Poultry · Salads · Sauces · Soups · Vegetables