Shepherd's Pie - Serves 4 to 6

Nothing feels more comforting than a bowl of shepherd's pie on a winters night. Shepards pie was a dish created by people using leftovers. Meat (generally lamb hence the name 'shepherd's' pie) but now beef is mostly used, leftover veggies and leftover potatoes. A delicious meal for the whole family. 

Ingredients: 

1 Red Onion, diced
1 Carrot, diced
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
Olive oil
 500g Minced Beef
 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
250ml Chicken Stock
½ Cup Red Wine
 Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.5kg Potatoes
100ml Milk
A large knob of butter

Method:

Heat a large pan on a medium heat. Add a good glug of olive oil; add onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, Turn the heat up, add the mince, and brown for 10 minutes. Use a sieve to drain away any excess liquid from the pan, and then add in the tinned tomatoes.  Pour in the stock and wine, season with a good pinch of salt and pepper and stir well, and then bring to the boil.  Reduce to a low heat, and simmer for 1 hour.

To make the mash peel the potatoes, cut them into quarters and put them into a saucepan of salted, boiling water.  Boil for about 10 minutes until tender (to make sure they are cooked stick a knife in them and it should slide out).

Drain and return them to the pan, add milk and butter, mash well and season.

 Preheat the oven to 200’c. Transfer the beef mixture to a large ovenproof baking dish spoon the mash evenly over the top. Drizzle with olive oil, and then cook in the hot oven for 25 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Serve with veggies.

Note: Serve with some sprinkled Pangrattato