BEEF: This is another favourite that was served often in my student days in the UK. It is good for using up left-over beef from a roast beef dinner.

SHEPARD’S PIE:

1 lb. medium/lean ground beef or 2 cups cooked beef or lamb, coarsely chopped

6 potatoes, peeled and quartered                                

1 onion, finely chopped

3 tbsp. cooking oil                                                      

2 carrots, finely chopped

¼ cup milk + 2 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. each dried thyme and sage                                

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

1 cup hot beef stock                                                   

1 ½ tbsp. all purpose flour

salt and pepper to taste

seasoning for sauce

 

   1 tsp. Dijon mustard                                                            

   1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

   1 tsp sugar                                                               

    salt and pepper

Put potatoes in a large pot with enough slightly salted water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover pot and simmer potatoes for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Put potatoes in a bowl and add milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste. Mash with a fork or a potato masher until smooth and fluffy. Keep warm.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot and add onion, parsley, carrots, sage and thyme. Cook 4-5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add ground beef, stirring to break up meat and cook until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper to taste. If cooked meat is used, just stir it into onion mixture and heat through. Transfer beef mixture to an oven-proof casserole.

Add flour and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously. Increase heat to medium high or high and gradually whisk in stock. Stir constantly to mix in until smooth; and cooking for 5 minutes until sauce thickens. Add seasoning and salt and pepper to taste and mix in well. Pour sauce over beef and mix in well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Fit a pastry bag with ½-inch star nozzle attached with half of the mashed potatoes. Spread rest of potato in a smooth layer over beef mixture in the casserole. Pipe a layer of potato decoratively on top. Omit this step if preferred, and spread all the mashed potatoes over beef, swirling to decorate slightly. Transfer casserole to oven.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until potatoes are golden brown and filling is hot.