sheperds pie is simple, filling & tasty if done right. It will take 3 days to make it properly though.
1 lamb shoulder, fat well trimmed, minced (bones fat & trimmings reserved.)
2 onions
3 decent sized carrots
2 cloves garlic
spuds
butter
tinned sweetcorn
frozen garden peas
tin of condensed oxtail soup
fresh mint
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day 1
take lamb bones (roasted) & trimmings, onion peel, carrot peels & ends & garlic germ & skin - put in a pan, fill with water, salt, pepper & a bayleaf or bouquet garni (or both) bring to the boil & simmer for about 5 hours.
strain then reduce down to approx 1/2 a pint of stock. place in a jug & stick it in the fridge
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day 2
large heavy bottomed pan, brown the minced lamb & season with salt & black pepper then sit in a strainer to remove excess fat.
add diced onion, diced carrot & diced garlic (when you cut the garlic in half remove the green germ from the middle to use in the stock (please don't use one of those garlic presses - they kill the garlic) gently fry until softened then add the mince back into the pan.
take the jug of stock out of the fridge & take the fat off the top (you can keep it to one side & use it for sundays roast potatoes if you wish!) keep adding the stock small quantities at a time to stop the mix from sticking until the carrot is cooked through. add the rest of the stock, peas & sweetcorn & the tin of soup then reduce to a good saucy consistency.
add the mint (shredded) once the mix is off the heat & season if needed.
now pour the mix into an oven proof dish & flatten off ready to put the mash on top.
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day 3
make your mash. don't boil the spuds, poach them in barely simmering water. this loses the starch from the spuds & makes the mash far, far smoother & creamier.
drain the spuds once soft, season, add melted butter & gold top milk & mash until completely smooth.
arrange mash on top of meat mixture (piping with a fluted nozzle looks better & gives a better crispy top but you can just spoon it on roughen the surface with a fork.)
bake in a hot oven until crispy on top & piping hot underneath & serve with crusty bread & braised red cabbage
(braised red cabbage... fill a large oven tray with shredded red cabbage, add diced peeled apple, sultanas, a handful of castor sugar, white wine vinegar & diced butter. cover with foil & throw in the oven for about 45 minutes until tender & juicy. the butter, sugar & vinegar will give a rich glossy coating to the cabbage that makes it far nicer than that pickled muck you get in glass jars.)
enjoy!