Shepherd's Pie recipe wanted

I think I would be very popular at my place if I could get a recipe for Shepherd's pie that tasted anything like the one at Bulldog's in LKFong. If you can help, I'd be grateful.

Ask at the restaurant. They may give you the recipe. Hope it has ground lamb in it, otherwise it ought to be cowboy pie!

What makes the pie taste special? Can you isolate it?


Anyway, this recipe is from Marco Pierre White and is served at the Yew Tree Restaurant. Maybe you’ll like this one too.


Shepherd's pie

Makes 6-8 pies


Ingredients

1 kg lean minced lamb

1 small onion, finely chopped

50ml olive oil (not extra virgin)

150ml water

1.2 litre lamb stock

2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced

1/2 bunch of thyme, leaves only and finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

HP sauce

Worcestershire sauce

500g Desiree potatoes (red skins)


Method

1. Heat a large roasting tray on top of the stove, sweat down the finely chopped onion in the olive oil. Add the minced lamb and fry for a few minutes to break up any big lumps. Add the water and transfer the tray to a moderate oven, 180°C. Every 10 minutes, break up the mince with a whisk. All of the natural fat from the lamb will render out of the meat which is supposed to happen. Carry on cooking the lamb until it is golden brown in colour.

2. Pour the cooked minced lamb into a colander to drain off the excess fat and grease. Return the mince back into the original tray, add just enough lamb stock to cover. Slowly bring the whole thing to the boil.

3. Peel and boil the potatoes until they are cooked. Strain and leave in a warm place to dry for 15 minutes. Put through a potato ricer (or use a masher or fork), then add 100g softened butter and 200ml warm milk. Mix until smooth.

4. Meanwhile, blanch the diced carrot in rapidly boiling salted water until soft, but not mushy. Refresh in cold water and keep to one side.

5. Gently simmer the lamb-mince mixture until it becomes quite binding in consistency. Add the chopped thyme and the blanched carrot. Adjust the seasoning according to taste with the salt, black pepper, HP & Worcestershire sauces.

6. Transfer the mince mixture into earthenware or china pie dishes, approximately 15-20 in diameter. Press the mince down to give a smooth surface on to which the potato can be piped. Using a piping bag with a large star nozzle, carefully pipe an even layer of potato over the surface of the pie.

7. Bake the pies in an oven at 180C for 10-15 minutes, until the potato begins to turn golden brown and the pie is piping hot in the centre.

I use a variation of what I fond on BBC.co.uk/food. Also, I just use beef instead of lamb. But the pie is to die for and people now pay me at work to make it. It's also easy peasy...It says to serve four but I tend to increase all the ingredients...good thing about is,is that you don't have to stick to the recipe amounts...just add what you want...i've added frozen corn and peas and mushrooms...makes it all the more delicious


Ingredients:


1 tbsp oil

1 large onion chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped (I use more, no set amount, just depends what how I'm feeling)

560g/1¼ lb beef mince

400g/14oz can tomatoes (rather than tinned tomatoes I add a big pot of Spag bog sauce, normally the spicy tomato one, or any really

290ml/10fl oz beef stock

1 bay leaf (I put in 2 or 3 if making big vat)

fresh thyme leaves from 1 sprig (I often use dried thyme and it turns out just as well

2 tbsp tomato purée

salt and freshly ground black pepper (I also add pinch of mace/nutmeg and pinch of chili powder just to give it a bit of zing)

For the topping:

parsnips, potato and horseradish mash (I just do potatoes but great with parsnips too. haven't tried it with horsradish)

750g/1½ lb potatoes, peeled and chopped

225g/8oz parsnips, peeled and chopped

2 tsp creamed horseradish

75g/2½oz butter

55ml/2fl oz milk


I like my potatoes cheesy so I grate a load of any cheese (normally cheddar but sometimes gruyere or whatever I've got in the fridge) and i also cover the potatoes with cheese too.


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

2. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and carrot and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft.

3. Add the minced beef and cook for 3 minutes to brown.

4. Add the tomatoes, purée, beef stock, bay leaf and thyme.

5. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season.

6. Make the mash: boil the potatoes and parsnips in water until soft. Drain and mash with the butter and milk. Stir in the horseradish and season with salt and pepper.

7. Spoon the meat into an ovenproof dish. Top with the mash and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.


A miracle!