Jo's Shepherds Pie

This is Jonny's favourite thing that I cook, and others have asked for the recipe so thought I'd post it here, as the first of my "Food things I love". We love a good Shepherds Pie. So much so that we had it at our wedding (although not this recipe - this has only been cooked by me) For all those technical foodies who may read - I guess this is actually a Cottage Pie as I use beef mince - but I don't really see the point in being pedantic about these things. We all know what we mean, and in our our house Shepherds Pie means a proper hearty meal, comfort food, and always having room for seconds.

Like most casserole / stew type dishes I think this tastes even better if it is cooked in advance and then reheated the next day. However if needs must and you can't wait that long, then go ahead and eat it straight from the oven. It also freezes well. You can get as far as putting on the mash potato, stop, freeze, defrost and then cook in oven to get a lovely fresh crispy top. Try to use the best quality ingredients you can source - especially the mince - as it really does make a difference.

Ingredients (Serves 6 good size portions)

1 large White Onion - finely chopped
2 bulbs Garlic - crushed
Splash of good Olive Oil
1 kg Lean British Steak Mince
4 or 5 large Carrots - chopped finely
500g white closed cup mushrooms
2 beef Oxo cubes
500 ml hot water from the kettle
Good splash of red wine if you have the bottle open, if not use sherry
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 teaspoons Bisto Gravy Powder
Few dried herbs
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 kg Maris Piper white potatoes, peeled and chopped
Good slab of butter
Splash of milk

Preheat the oven to 200

1. Heat the oil in a good large iron based deep pan (I use our ever faithful Le Crueset for this) Gently soften the onion and garlic in the oil. After a few minutes add the mince and cook until browned. Make the beef stock by mixing the Oxo cubes with the hot water and then add to the beef and onion mixture. Add your herbs and season taste. Bring to the boil, add the carrots and then turn turn down the heat and leave to simmer for a good 30-40 minutes. In this time the meat and carrots will soften in the lovely meaty flavours. Stir occasionally.

2. Whilst the beef is stewing, bring the potatoes to the boil in lots of slightly salted water. Turn down the heat, cover and leave to boil until soft. This should take about 20 minutes or so, depending on your hob. Once soft, drain the potatoes, return them to the pan you boiled them in and add a good slab of butter, a splash of milk and mash until smooth.

3. Now return to your beef mixture. Check the carrots are nice and soft, and add your mushrooms. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed. Add a glug of red wine / sherry if using. Mix well. In a separate cup combine the cornflour and bisto with a drop of cold water to make a paste. On a high heat add the paste to the beef mixture, stirring well. This should thicken up the mixture to make a rich gravy consistency that is not too watery. A little judgement is required as to whether you need more or less cornflour here.

4. Tip out your mixture into a large dish, that will have sufficient room to take the potato topping also. I use a large lasagne dish or two smaller dishes if going to freeze one pie. Spread evenly and then spoon on your lovely fluffy mash potato on top. Spoon and spread and when even run a fork over the top in whatever fashion you fancy - this will mean extra crispy bits when it goes into the oven. If you like a really buttery topping, you can then put a few extra blobs of butter on top.

5. Transfer to the top of your hot oven. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, checking from time to time that it isn't getting too crispy. There is a fine line between a good crispy top and, quite frankly, burnt.

6. Serve with some good green veg - green beans and broccoli go particularly well - and enjoy what we think is one of the best British inventions there has ever been.