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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 #52327
Eatingganesh (Florida) says:
Oh Neil.. you are the bomb! Thank you for posting an authentic British shepherd's pie. Every time I hop across the pond, I gain 10 pounds before my return because I only want to eat at the pie and fish & chips shops. LOL
As for the comments... Americans make rude and culturally insensitive remarks everyday, and yet some just can't seem take a good-natured ribbing about cheese and how we Americanize every dang recipe. Get over yourselves. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
As for the comments... Americans make rude and culturally insensitive remarks everyday, and yet some just can't seem take a good-natured ribbing about cheese and how we Americanize every dang recipe. Get over yourselves. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
#52397
Alice (California) says:
I laughed reading your comments and I will be trying your recipe and hopefully coming back to tell you it was good (wth out cheese) even though I am an American. Hopefully I can resist adding cheese... because I do love cheese! To the other emotional reactions, since this is a recipe site maybe you could keep your comments to words about the recipe and not the comments of the person posting the recipe! Get over your-self, LOL, its his posted recipe!
#52399
Mary Douse (New Jersey) says:
Thanks for the laughs,Neil. Humor seems to be a bit short in some quarters! ...not crazy about lamb so I make mine with beef., no cheese.
#52404
Star (Kentucky) says:
I have to tell you , I had to chuckle.
I was engaged to a Brit, lived with him for nearly 10 years and Shepherds Pie and Bubble & Squeak with Ovaltine and a Spot O Tea were him at his best! LOL
His Mum was the funniest little ole lady in her 90s and she thought we Americans were "rabbits" when we ate salads in restaraunts. She just couldnt believe that some people could consume a salad and call it a "meal"
Shepherds Pie to TRUE BRITS is simply a conglomerate of meats, gravy bases, pretty much a stew and a covering of mashed potatoes (no cheese)baked to perfection.
Bubble n Squeak is a conglomerate of whatever is leftover or whatever you think will fit together that you can find in your cupboards at the end of the month. :)
I was engaged to a Brit, lived with him for nearly 10 years and Shepherds Pie and Bubble & Squeak with Ovaltine and a Spot O Tea were him at his best! LOL
His Mum was the funniest little ole lady in her 90s and she thought we Americans were "rabbits" when we ate salads in restaraunts. She just couldnt believe that some people could consume a salad and call it a "meal"
Shepherds Pie to TRUE BRITS is simply a conglomerate of meats, gravy bases, pretty much a stew and a covering of mashed potatoes (no cheese)baked to perfection.
Bubble n Squeak is a conglomerate of whatever is leftover or whatever you think will fit together that you can find in your cupboards at the end of the month. :)
#52482
Becky (North Dakota) says:
i thought it was fun to read and people have to quit being so sensitive about every little thing . get over yourselves and enjoy a little humor.
#52978
Susan D (Arizona) says:
This is a good recipe. As a Brit I agree about the cheese, but if that's what you like, go ahead and add it. Lighten up Yanks - Brits love to tease you (and each other), don't take offense so easily.
#53164
Tammy (California) says:
I agree with Clara and Tami that the gentleman is no gentleman, this is a cooking site for pete's sake!
#53480
Melanie (Ontario) says:
Clearly only a few of you have a "British" sense of humor! This recipe is exactly like my grandmother made. If someone wants to take a recipe and completly change it, then change the name as well. Shepherds pie is shepherds pie.... no cheese! Seriously.... Neil you should be offended by these people. Not the other way around.
#53952
MR (Mississippi) says:
Neil,
Thank you for being totally on the ball. Shepherd's pie is lamb only, cottage pie is beef or some other meat. I always add bisto, or near equivilent to my mix.
MR
p.s. Since moving here I can no longer spell!
Thank you for being totally on the ball. Shepherd's pie is lamb only, cottage pie is beef or some other meat. I always add bisto, or near equivilent to my mix.
MR
p.s. Since moving here I can no longer spell!
#54219
M (Illinois) says:
Neil and others: This recipe is the absolute BEST! I managed to find Bisto (this is great stuff!)and I got a head of Savoy. What a wonderful supper on a cold night! I'm with you, Neil... NO CHEESE. When I steam cabbage I always add a bit of Montreal Steak seasoning, spicy or regular, and BUTTER. Thanks for your wonderful recipe!
#54272
Donna R. (British Columbia) says:
LOL...he is REALLY serious about his Shepherd's Pie! I came on here looking for a recipe and noticed this "Neil" guy has slammed and commented on just about every other Shepherd's Pie recipe, but doesn't have the guts to defend his own. I don't care if his version is "traditional" or not, I would never eat lamb, but LOVE the "americanized" version of Shepherd's pie and eat it all the time! Thanks for the laugh Neil!
#54830
Rhonda says:
Neil,
We just got back from a trip to Victoria, BC and we had a wonderful Shepherds pie that left us wanting more. I tried your recipe tonight and it was wonderful. I didn't have any cabbage, but a nice green salad and a glass of Old Vine Zin made a perfect meal with your "Brit" pie! Thanks so much! By the way, I don't know what Bisto is and I wasn't offended at all by Neil's comments.
We just got back from a trip to Victoria, BC and we had a wonderful Shepherds pie that left us wanting more. I tried your recipe tonight and it was wonderful. I didn't have any cabbage, but a nice green salad and a glass of Old Vine Zin made a perfect meal with your "Brit" pie! Thanks so much! By the way, I don't know what Bisto is and I wasn't offended at all by Neil's comments.
#55042
Ian (Ontario) says:
Nice one neil. Made it for dinner on a cold canadian winter night the kids lapped it up. Could'nt agree more about the cheese thing. Nice crusty bread went down a treat with it too.
#55604
Jonesy (New York) says:
Look at Delia Smiths recipe if you want a REALLY good shepherds pie - and it has cheese on it and you can't get more british than Delia Smith.
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I loved the commentary that your recipe generated, I almost feel out of my chair laughing and being a proud "Cheese Head" from Wisconsin, USA. I look forward to making it both ways.
Note: A "Cheese Head" is a local nickname of a person who lives in Wisconson. Wisconsin is known to be a large producer of dairy products such as milk and cheese :).