Cottage Pie & Shepherd's Pie

Here is one of my all time favourite lunch or dinner recipes.

My Mother used to make this in the same way, as did my Nan. It's very simple and basic - no fancy unusual ingredients.

Fast n Easy !

Good old fashioned home comfort cooking at its best !

What's the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd's Pie ?
The only difference between cottage pie and shepherd's pie is that cottage pie is made with minced beef and shepherd's pie is made with minced lamb. Everything else is the same. I'm sure there are many variations - but this is how I make it.
Cottage Pie - Shepherd's Pie

This recipe is for the beef version (Cottage Pie) - if you are making Shepherd's Pie, just substitute minced lamb for the beef.

1.5 lbs (700g) Minced Beef/Lamb
1/2 medium Onion (chopped well)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Bisto Instant Chicken Gravy Mix (the chicken version tastes 100 times better in any recipe than the beef version and you can't taste that it's chicken !)
1.5 tablespoons Lee & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
Water (small amount)
6 medium sized Potatoes
2 ozs Butter
2 tablespoons Milk
Freshly ground black Pepper
Sea Salt
1. Lightly cook the chopped onion in a saucepan in the olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.


2. Add the minced beef or lamb and mix it in well - breaking up the mince so that there are no clumps.




3. Cook the meat and onion until it is all brown. Keep the lid on the saucepan as much as possible in between stirring, in order to keep as much liquid as possible (rather than loose it via steam).

5. Add the gravy mix granules and stir in well.

6. Immediately add the worcestershire sauce and a small amount of water. The amount of water added should be just enough to make a moist mix, but not one with runny sauce. Mix it in well while still cooking on the stove top.

7. Spoon the meat mixture into an ovenproof dish.

8. Peel and chop the potatoes into small chunks as below. Cook for about 20 minutes until they are soft.

9. Drain the cooked potatoes and return them to the saucepan (its still warm and will keep the mix warm and soft).

10. Add the butter and milk to the potatoes and mash very very well.

11. Add a nice bit of freshly ground black pepper and some ground sea salt, then mash and mix this in well too.

12. Spoon the mash potato onto the top on the meat mix in the dish. If you spoon it in small amounts you can cover the area without having to 'spread' it too much. Spreading it often stirs up the meat underneath and makes a mess.

13. Flatten the top with the back of a fork.

14. Place in the oven at 160C (325F & gas mark 3). Cook until the top is golden all over and the ridges are slightly brown and crispy looking. (Takes about 30-40 mins usually).

15. Serve with something like mashed swede (as below) then eat !

The instructions for making the mashed swede / turnip (called turnip in Ireland - swede in UK) are in the next post (Click Here)

Sophii's Shepherds Pie & Cottage Pie

I have been making Cottage Pie since I was knee high to a grasshopper... and it will always be one of my comfort food favs.

Did you realise that the only difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherds Pie was the animal that the minced meat comes from ?

Shepherds Pie is made from minced lamb (yes the cute and fluffy little bouncy white critters) and Cottage Pie is minced beef (teenage moo cows).

Simple.

About a year ago I told a very good friend of mine in Alabama how I made Cottage/Shepherds Pie. He bought some chicken breast and used that instead ! I was horrified... But he maintains it was delicious and has christened the result 'Chicken Coup Pie'. Thank you Terry !

I really will have to try it sometime...

Bon appetit !

Sophii's
Cottage Pie & Shepherds Pie (how my Granny taught me to make it)

1 lb minced Beef (or Lamb) (or chicken if you dare, Alabama style)
2 Onions
2 Carrots
1 oz Butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
2 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins Worcester Sauce
1 litre Chicken Stock
1 lb Potatoes
Dash of Milk
1 Egg
2 ozs Butter
Sea Salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper

1. Peel and chop the onions and carrots (smallish but not tiny).

2. Lightly fry the carrots and onions in the olive oil and the 1oz butter, just until they start to change colour.

3. Add the beef (lamb) to the partly cooked veg, and brown the meat on a higher heat setting.

4. When the meat is brown and looks cooked (no pink bits anywhere), add the stock to the pan, as well as the ketchup, the tomato puree, and the Worcestershire Sauce.

5. Cook for 20 minutes, letting the liquid reduce (so don't cover the pan).

6. Allow to cool and add salt and pepper to taste (I personally add none at all, as if you are using a commercial stock this already contains salt etc).

7. Peel the potatoes, then halve or quarter them maybe, and boil or steam them until cooked. Drain.

8. Mash the potatoes together with 2 ozs of butter, the dash of milk and the egg. Be very very careful not to put too much milk.

9. Put the minced meat mixture into the bottom of a good sized ovenproof high-sided dish (Pyrex is great). Place the mashed potato carefully across the top, as evenly as possible.

10. Make pretty marks in the top with a fork. Just cus !

11. Cook in a medium oven, 190C, 375F, or Gas Mark 5, until the top is a lovely golden brown colour.
If the top is dark brown (burning) its been in too long !

12. Let the pie sit for 10 or 15 minutes before you eat it.

Enjoy !