Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

[tag]Shepherd?s Pie[/tag] is an old English way of putting together a meal without too much fuss, or spending too much time getting dinner together. I learned about it many years ago when I was living with my friend Philip Sansome in London. Philip was a good cook in addition to being a great artist and professional writer. Since I arrived in London from South America having picked up some of my cooking ways from my experiences in Peru, he allowed me to do most of the cooking. One day, however, Philip made dinner and introduced me to Shepherd?s Pie. Here is how it went.

1 1/2 pounds potatoes
3 TBSP canola oil
1 pound cooked or raw lamb, finely chopped
1 medium onion chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP flour
3/4 cup soup stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
1 TBSP chopped thyme
1 TBSP chopped rosemary
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3 TBSP butter
salt & pepper to suit yourself

If you?re a vegan, you can substitute beans for the lamb

The Method:

Slice the potatoes and cook about 15 minutes until soft in salted water. Drain and mash with some of the butter. Add a bit of the stock and beat the potatoes until they?re fluffy. Saute the onion and garlic until soft and glowing in the canola oil. At this point, add the lamb or beans and cook for about 6 minutes on a low/med flame. Add the flour to the mix and stir well. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until it thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Preheat your oven to 350? and put the mix into a pie tin or equivalent. Spread the mashed potatoes atop, using a fork to create peaks. Dot with remaining butter and bake until browned, about 30 minutes. Then shepherd your friends and family into the dining room and…

Enjoy!

Be Sociable, Share!

•