Shepherd's Pie | Cottage Pie | Easy Minced Meat & Potato Pie

The classic English Shepherd's Pie (using lamb, or Cottage Pie, if using beef) is a ground meat pie with a crust or topping of mashed potatoes (that's a line I borrowed from Wikipedia and modified). The filling includes vegetables that are finely chopped (hashed) which is what gives it the French name Hachis Parmentier. 

As a Goan, I enjoy my Minced Meat Potato Chops (watch it here), but I mustn't deny— they are demanding when you're short on time and preparing a large banquet! This pie can come to your rescue and can calm the nerves in such moments and the end result is— sensationnelle!

A good number of times, we shrink back from recipes that call for ingredients that are not usually stocked up in our kitchen stores. Herbs, spices, certain vegetables and even meats, might not be primarily produced in a land and, hence, aren't part of our daily cooking. However, cooking is an experiment that allows you to try anyway! Thanks to globalization, we do have access to all types of produce found in almost any corner (or curve) of the earth, yet, for the sake of good ol' home-cooking, I've stuck to what we Indians can reach for quickly off our kitchen shelves. The recipe that follows is devoid of 'parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme' but still a favourite of mine!

Tips:

• Finely chopped veggies mingle well with the texture of the meat. I used a manual food processor (chopper) to help me with it.

     

• Add in more vegetables if you like (corn, red/yellow bell peppers, or such)
• Spice the meat filling as you desire; the ingredients mentioned are only to give you an idea, but go as out-of-the-box as needed to get your optimum flavour. 
• The cooking time would depend on the quality of meat; but usually red meat needs 15-20 minutes to become perfectly tender to our Indian palates. 
• The mashed potatoes can be made more luxurious by addition of fresh cream/grated cheese and spiked with some herbs/spices. I prefer the clear look so I haven't added any of the latter.
• I have used a circular ovenproof glass casserole with an 8-inch diameter. Any shape works well. Ideally, the thickness of the meat filling is equal to the potato crust/topping. 

Ingredients:

Mashed Potatoes Topping:

• 3 large Potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon Salt (or as required)
• 2 Tablespoons of softened Butter
• Quarter cup of Milk

Minced Meat Filling:

• 500 grams of ground meat (lamb/beef)
• 1 large Onion, finely chopped
• 2 Carrots, finely chopped
• 1 Capsicum, finely chopped
• 2 Green Chilies, finely chopped (alter quantity as desired)
• 1/2 a cup of frozen Green Peas 
• 1 teaspoon of Ginger-Garlic paste
• 2 Tablespoons of Soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons of White Vinegar
• 1/2 a cup of Water
• 1 Bouillon cube (4 grams Maggi cube)
• 2 Tablespoons of All-purpose flour
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tablespoons of Ketchup
• Coriander, finely chopped (stems and leaves)
• Chili flakes
• Ground Black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons of Oil

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes with some salt till tender. Drain and then mash into a smooth paste adding the butter and milk. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil and sauté the onions with salt and ginger-garlic paste until golden brown.

3. Add the carrots and cook till softened (carrots take longer to cook).

4. Then add the capsicum and chilies, and cook for a minute or two.

5. Add the ground meat and give this all a good mix for 5-6 minutes; the meat will start to change colour.

6. Add the soy sauce and vinegar and mix well.

7. Pour in the water and the Bouillon cube, stir, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes.

8. There'll still be some liquid at the bottom after the stated time; that will gradually evaporate. Add salt as required, ketchup, coriander, chili flakes, black pepper, any other seasoning, and flour. Give it all a thorough mix. The flour helps combine the meat by thickening the juices. Cook for a few minutes.

9. Add the frozen peas and cook for another couple of minutes and then it should be ready. It shouldn't be too dry, nor too wet.

10. Line a baking dish with a little oil (I used an 8" circular casserole) and spread the minced meat mixture as an even layer— press down to avoid any large gaps. 

11. Spoon the mashed potatoes paste atop this, again, patting it down eliminating any air pockets. Shape this into peaks with a spatula or spoon or inscribe patterns using a fork.

12. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes (i.e. convection setting) or till the top is slightly browned. Let it rest outside the oven for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Watch the recipe-video here:

Dev Borem Korum | Thank you and God bless