This Dame Cooks

Here’s the scoop on Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie.  They were both created to use up leftovers from roasted lamb or roasted beef and vegetables, usually potatoes and carrots.  The difference is Shepherd’s Pie is crustless with smooth and silky mashed potato topping.  Cottage Pie has a pastry crust on the bottom and the top.  You may know this as a beef pot-pie.  Americans rarely eat lamb due to the history of our beef cattle industry. However, that’s starting to change a bit.   In nearly all the Crown colonies a cottage pie made with ground beef or lamb, is referred to as a mince pie, not to be confused with American mincemeat pie which is sweet.

This pie is pure comfort food with a rich gravy and lots of savory meat.  Serve with a little spicy chutney, a simple salad and Irish soda bread.  Be sure to pour plenty of Guiness.  More about St. Patrick’s Day at last year’s post St.Patty’s Day Recipes 2009.  Also watch this Gordon Ramsey video.  He makes it look so easy.

Ingredients:

• 2 large russet potatoes, boiled
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 cup milk, or half-n-half
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• 1/4 cup cheddar or gruyere cheese, grated
• fresh parsley to garnish
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef or ground lamb
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup red wine  or beer
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp rosemary
• 1 cup beef stock

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.  Lightly butter 2 individual gratin dishes or small casserole dish.
2. Mash boiled potatoes with milk and 1/4 cup butter until they hold together.  Add beaten egg yolk, salt and pepper, and whip until smooth and silky.  Fold in cheese.  Set aside with parsley.
3. Heat oil over medium high, add beef or lamb, saute until no longer pink.  Remove any excess fat.  Add salt and pepper.
4. Add remaining ingredients except  beef stock.  Cook until until alcohol disipates 6 minutes.
5. Add beef stock and cook until mixture thickens and mounds up on a spoon.
6. Spread meat mixture into prepared dish.  Spread mashed potatoes evenly on top and out to the edge of the casserole dish.   With a knife or fork, swirl potatoes to make peaks. 
7. Drizzle remaining butter over potatoes.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.  Cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.