REAL HONEST TO GOODNESS SHEPHERD’S PIE

Back in the middle 60’s, we had a close family friend who hailed from the other side of the pond. Once she got the knack of cooking in a kosher kitchen, we reaped the bounty of her culinary experience. One dish that Una made was shepherd’s pie. It is quintessential poor people food, so you know it has to be very good!

More than 40 years have passed, and in all that time, we never had the dish again. Maybe we were afraid that it would not be as we remembered. Well, we made some for shabbat (it stays well on the blech!), and wow are we happy. It was excellent. Of course, we had to make some changes in the recipe we found for the sake of kashruth, but it was just as we remembered the dish. MMMMMMMMMMM !

REAL ENGLISH SHEPHERDS PIE!

1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. chopped meat, minced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 large carrot, diced
1 beef stock cube
1 lb. chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon corn flour
3 tablespoons tomato puree
pinch of salt and pepper
2 lb. potatoes
1 stick pareve margarine

A real English shepherds pie is made with lamb. If made with beef, it would be known as cottage pie. (yeah, and…?)

First, heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and carrot and cook until soft. Add minced meat and stock cube, then cook until the mince is brown and shows a crumbly texture. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato puree, and add the corn flour. Leave to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about fifteen minutes, or until thickened.

Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes and boil until soft, then mash them with the margarine and salt and pepper to taste.

Put the filling into a deep dish, then top with the mashed potatoes and put under a warm grill (broiler) until the top is brown and crisp.