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

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!

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).

I have the recipe book that we used in cookery lessons in school. It was published in the 30s
The recipe for shepherds pie specifies minced beef or lamb.

when i was growing up Monday was always the day for Shepherds or Cottage pie as it was using up the Sunday roast. Also that was the traditionally the day to do the laundry so housewives had not the time for making complicated meals

The whole family love a cottsge pie ! Baked beans either in or as a side and definitely a good splash of Worcester sauce.
True comfort food.

Try mashing celeriac into the potato - it’s scrummy

I love it too, also with grated cheese on top

My only gripe is takes bloody ages to prepare and cook and produces so much washing up! but it really is worth the effort as you just cannot even buy anything remotely near to a home made one

I recently came across a Mary Berry recipe called Shepherd's Pie Dauphinoise. As the name suggests, it has cheesy topped sliced potato on top instead of mash. I tried it and it was really nice.

Used to be blonde- it was the first thing we were taught how to make in secondary school (age 11) at domestic science as it was called then.It was lovely,and ive been making it ever since! (Age nearly 63 now)😋

Kathmaggie

Try mashing celeriac into the potato - it’s scrummy

I love celeriac bur gosh how it stinks when cooking!!

I love celeriac too. I don't find the smell unpleasant. But try Jerusalem artichokes! My neighbour gives them to me from his allotment. I am grateful, once I've prepared them. I think.

I agree

Red currant jelly is really good in the beef as well as a good dash of Hendo's.

I enjoy reading Gransnet but the abbreviations drive me nuts. Is there a key anywhere? For example: DD, DS1, D2…I was even trying to work out YUK!

I only eat mince if I’ve minced the meat myself. I like to know what I’m eating!!!!
I told an acquaintance that I made my own mince and she snootily told me she only bought steak mince. You could see her expression change when I explained steak mince was the trimmings from the steak - not the steak itself!!

I call cottage pie 'nursery food' ... yes it gets produced for elderly/ill/bereaved when solace needed. I cheat now with smaller portions by using ready made mash.

JaneJudge

I love it too, also with grated cheese on top

My only gripe is takes bloody ages to prepare and cook and produces so much washing up! but it really is worth the effort as you just cannot even buy anything remotely near to a home made one

I agree, it’s not the quickest and simplest dish to make. If I’m taking the usual mega version to dd’s, I make the mince/lentil/veg base the day before and add the mash the following morning.
Dh thinks it’s ‘simple’ but that’s because he doesn’t cook!
He invariably clears up the kitchen though, loads the dishwasher and unloads it in the morning - which TBH suits me fine!

AJW56

I enjoy reading Gransnet but the abbreviations drive me nuts. Is there a key anywhere? For example: DD, DS1, D2…I was even trying to work out YUK!

Google now tells you absolutely anything! It's all there.
Gransnet Abbreviations

Someone introduced me to a wonderful mixture the other day - minced beef and lamb. But don't know if it should be called cottage or shepherd's pie?!!! I always put a mixture of mashed potatoes and parsnips on top - I think that's particularly delicious too. Would really recommend the beef and lamb mixture though

Well, I just want some now

Tasting History with Max Miller did a YouTube video about Shepherd's Pie recently. It's 23 mins long.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1O1hcixZDU

I was checking my freezer and making a shopping list when I discovered a one person shepherd's pie so that's tonight's supper.

AJW56

I enjoy reading Gransnet but the abbreviations drive me nuts. Is there a key anywhere? For example: DD, DS1, D2…I was even trying to work out YUK!

Dear Daughter, Dear Son1, and Dh is for Dear/Dratted Husband. Etc.
Are you new to such forums? These have been used for at least 20 years. However I do recall being bemused by dh at first, ages ago - who was this dh they kept mentioning? Dopey Herbert? Dozy Harry? But I soon worked it out.

Oreo

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

My kids will only eat it if I put crushed crisps on top of the cheese 🙄😂

For a change I cooked the mince base with onions and I put a thin layer of cooked thinly sliced carrots on the meat. Then the mash. It worked well because the meat gravy didn’t seep into the mashed potato.

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.

Not in the least Magenta, I can see how that would work & I'll try it