A recipe for Shepherd's Pie

By Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com)

Total preparation time approx. 1 hour

Ingredients:

700g of minced beef

1kg of potatoes

1 large onion

1 carrot

peas*

4 or 5 cloves of garlic

olive oil or fat*2

2 or 3 beef stock cubes

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

tomato pure (optional)*

Preparation:

1. Put 1½ litres of lightly salted water to boil in a large saucepan.

2. Peel the potatoes, chop them into large pieces and add them to the boiling water for 10-15 mins.*3

3. Heat the oil or fat in a medium-sized non-stick saucepan and, when hot, add the minced beef stirring it with a wooden spoon every few minutes.

4. Peel and finely chop the onion and carrot.

5. When the mince is completely brown, add the mixed herbs, bay leaf, pepper and crushed garlic.

6. Add 3 cups of water to the mince, then add the beef stock cubes, carrot, onion and a handful of frozen peas (optional). Add one dessert spoon of tomato pure to give it more colour (optional).

7. Reduce the heat when boiling and simmer for 15 mins.*4

8. Drain the potatoes, add 1 table spoon of milk and mash them.

9. Put the minced beef mix in an ovenproof bowl or casserole dish, checking to see if it needs more salt or pepper. Use a spoon and fork to spread the mashed potato over the top of the minced beef, starting around the edges and working towards the centre of the bowl. When completely covered by mashed potato, use the tips of a fork to score ridges across the top of the mashed potato.

10. Put the bowl or casserole dish on a baking tray and cook in the oven at 240-260 degrees for 45 minutes or until brown on top.

11. Serve with broccoli or cauliflower.

* A few peas and the tomato pure add colour to the dish, making it more attractive when served.

*2 When Viv roasts meat in the oven, after cooking, he saves the fat which comes out of the meat in a small glass cup, which he keeps in the fridge. This fat can be used when frying but it's important to cover the pan with a saucepan lid for the first few seconds because it 'spits' when heated due to residual water in the fat.

*3 This is more or less the time it takes to prepare the minced beef mix, so go straight to the next step.

*4 Go straight to the next step while the mince is cooking.