Is it Shepherd’s Pie if it’s made with beef?

I remember that my mother used to tell a story about one of my uncles, who had come to visit my newly married parents. She spent all day cooking something very 70’s like Coq-au-Vin (not that there’s anything wrong with that, you understand) only to have my uncle ask for brown sauce. Before he had even tasted her offering. I had a similar experience with DH. shortly after moving in with him, I discovered he ate pretty much everything except chocolate with lashings of Ketchup. It used to really upset me, especially when I had laboured all day to impress him with my cooking. These days I find it easier just to keep a large stock of the stuff in the cupboard. I think we currently have a dozen bottles, so should there be a run on Ketchup, we’re all sorted. FIL says that DH will have the last laugh- the amount of ketchup, and therefore lycopene, he consumes on a daily basis will leave his innards fully protected from Cancer.

I eat ketchup with two things:
1) fish finger sandwiches (and sometimes bacon if there is no brown sauce)
2) shepherd’s pie
I had the former for lunch, after reading this on the Landcroft House blog-incidentally please vote here for your favourite sandwich. Which leaves the latter, which I think I shall make for supper. DH’s affection for ketchup notwithstanding, I have been forced to admit what I have been aware of for the last couple of weeks: that the nights are drawing in. The evenings are cooler. The desire for eating salad has withered. Autumn is upon us, with winter no doubt snapping at it’s heels. And with the Autumn weather comes a new menu of old favourites, Shepherd’s Pie headlining. So easy to cook, it brings back fond memories of childhood. But, and this is very important, it can only be served with frozen peas and, of course, lashings of ketchup.

Oh, and by the way, when I say shepherd’s, I mean Cottage. Shepherd’s Pie uses minced lamb. Always get those two mixed up.

Serves 4

Ingredients
500g minced lean beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, sliced (or use a tin if feeling lazy!)
1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tablespoon plain flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon thyme
glass of red wine
300ml beef stock
1kg Desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
50g butter

Method
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/gas 4.
Heat some olive oil in a large pan until hot. Fry off the onions, then add mince and brown. Bung in carrots. Pour in the red wine and reduce until almost completely evaporated. Mix the stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, flour, cinnamon and thyme together, then add and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, bring to the boil and simmer until the sauce has thickened.
Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain then return to the hot pan over low heat to dry out briefly. Mash with butter. Check for seasoning.
Spoon the mince into the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Using a large spoon, layer the mashed potato generously on top of the mince, starting from the outside and working your way into the middle.
Smother with grated cheese, if you are a cheese-eating household! Bake in the oven for around 30-40 minutes until gold and bubbly. And if you are anything like me, it’s worth putting the oven-proof dish on a baking tray so that if it bubbles over (and let’s face it, that’s part of the charm) you don’t end up having to clean the oven.

Please, please remember what I said about peas and ketchup! Guten appetit.