You can’t go wrong with shepherd’s pie!

I’ve just prepped a shepherds pie for tomorrow’s lunch.

I usually do a mix of white and sweet potatoes, but when I got the sweet potatoes out of the fridge they had gone mouldy, so it’s just got white potato mash on the top this time. (I’m finding more and more that sweet potatoes and other veg from a well known supermarket that is the most local to us do not last anywhere near as long as they used to - I wonder just how long they have had them in storage before putting them out on the shelves, as the packaging no longer has a “best before” date, so there’s no way of knowing how old they are).

All these different Cottage/Shepherds pies sound very appetising even though I don’t eat meat anymore. They
It brought to mind one whipped up after my lovely mother in law’s funeral. We all went back to my sister in law’s house and her youngest son’s partner got out the roasting tray and created the largest and tastiest Shepherds pie I have ever eaten. They then left the adults to it and took whichever children who were old enough windsurfing. My children still talk about it with much pleasure!

Grated carrots, finely chopped onions, and a can of baked beans! Perfect!

"Tamworth Pie". "Gloucester Pie". "Old Spot Pie". "White Pie". Breeds are endless! Just a couple of thoughts. "Farmer's Pie" is a bit Sweeny Toddish!

I made cottage pie yesterday, very simple recipe.
5% fat beef mince, cooked and a tin of baked beans stirred in.
Potatoes and parnips on a 2:1 weight ratio, boiled and mashed together.
Assembled and put in the air fryer on broil (grill) for 15 minutes to brown the topping.
Served with steamed carrots, broccoli, peas and gravy.
Glass of red wine 🍷

Norah

Rosie51 How do people do cauliflower mash

is it just steamed then mashed just like potatoes?

Steam cauliflower, add coconut milk, salt, pepper, mustard. Mash.

I add grated cheese and plenty of butter to my cauli mash, then use a stick blender to reach a texture more like mashed potato.

crazyH

Yes, Dhobi is the clothes washerman/woman. Would collect the dirty clothes from the house, take them away and bring them back spotless , collars starched and everything ironed - gone are those days !

That’s probably where Dhobies itch comes from. Something to do with the dye in certain cottons I think?

It's a staple for us. I like to use Aldi 5% beef mince mixed with red or puy lentils plus lots of chopped veg. I ring the changes with mushrooms,spinach or sometimes add different spices and tomatoes. Toppings can be mashed potato sometimes mashed with butter beans or made into mustard mash using wholegrain mustard and I swap the gravy ingredients around too. I make double the amount and freeze what I don't use. Cheap, healthy and tasty.

Calms the stomach and nourishes the soul.

Calendargirl

I suppose you could use pork mince also.

Could it be ‘Farmer’s Pie?’

(Can’t think of an appealing name for ‘pig’).

Porky pie?

My mother made wonderful shepherd’s pie, but she didn’t buy mince. Roast leg of lamb on Sunday would have enough left on the bone to strip the cold cooked meat and push through a Spong mincer clamped to the kitchen table. I used to love the task of mincing the meat. When the meat was done we’d mince a crust of bread to get the grease off the mincer, and put it out for the birds.

As a fussy child I hated carrots, I think my mother’s version had onions and possibly baked beans, Bisto or perhaps Marmite for flavour, very little gravy as my father loathed “wet” food (as he called any sauce). She didn’t use lentils, nor any other root vegetables, but I’ve never managed to replicate the taste of hers.

Thanks Norah sounds lovely, will give it a try tomorrow.
.

Cottage pie is one of Mr. S's favourites and I always make it with the beef left over from a Sunday roast.

My late father always used to call the washing 'the dhobi'

Mine too but I don’t think he ever dared call my mother the dhobi wallah! 😂

Since meat prices went up this is now our Sunday dinner! Such a classic and always tasty and versatile,

Mollygo

We like minced chicken or minced turkey “shepherd’s pie”. What should I call that?
I was put off any version of minced meat through school dinners. Somehow I always get at least one piece of gristle even when I made it for DH.

Chicken or turkey has to be Poultry Pie surely? 🐔

I grate cheese on top of the mash too, it’s delicious.

tanith

Love shepherds pie I make single portion ones for myself and freeze, but when my daughter and GD come to stay they always request it with grated cheese topping and plenty of gravy so i make a large one there is enough for seconds that way. It’s always mince beef though I loathe lamb mince tried it once YUK!!!

Am with you there!

Interesting. Neither of our kids particularly enjoyed it, not overly keen on mince.

RosiesMawagain

In DH’s family it was always known as Dhobi Pudding.
Why?
Complicated, but the family had many strange names for everyday things, possibly going back several generations.

His father was brought up in India where shepherds «watched over their flocks» as in the Christmas Carol.
«Shepherds « became «Watchmen»
Possibly the cook was responsible for the next step-
«Watchmen» became «washermen»
Hence «Dhobi»
And Grandpop used to like to render «Pie» as «pudding» as in Steak & Kidney
So 5 steps from Shepherds Pie to Dhobi Pudding!

My late father always used to call the washing 'the dhobi'

I cook lots of mince including root veg and red lentils. Some gets used for cottage pie, some gets mixed with baked beans and chili for a chili con carne lash-up, surely not authentic but tasty!

Magenta8

I make a very nice vegetarian version (gardeners' pie, allotment pie?) using soya mince, marmite, root vegetables, onions, butterbeans and herbs. all topped off with fresh mash.

Written down it sounds a bit disgusting but actually it is very tasty.

I’m not a vegetarian, but I’d eat this, sounds lovely.

I haven’t met a child yet who doesn’t love cottage pie so it was a regular occurrence for us!
I have used a variety of vegetables over the years but two essentials in my opinion are good quality lean minced beef and cheesy mash with grated cheese on top.

Rosie51 How do people do cauliflower mash

is it just steamed then mashed just like potatoes?

Steam cauliflower, add coconut milk, salt, pepper, mustard. Mash.

I suppose you could use pork mince also.

Could it be ‘Farmer’s Pie?’

(Can’t think of an appealing name for ‘pig’).

At "The Ivy" it's one of the favourites on the menu. Tbh I tend to order it, when I'm there but I would never make one at home, it never crosses my mind.