*Schwartz have gifted me this Shepherds Pie Casserole Mix, but all views are my own.*
I adore winter food. There’s nothing quite like a delicious family feast, enjoying hearty plates of comforting food. Being quite into cooking myself I try to put my own stamp on recipes and add some hidden veg so it’s even better for the kids. Read on for my mouthwatering alternative shepherds pie recipe which should serve four people.
It’s a recipe with a twist, full of tradition but with a slight edge to it. Firstly, none of us in our family particularly like lamb. My wife refuses to eat it, I don’t mind a lamb burger at BBQs but I prefer other mince in my pie. Beef mince is a staple on our shopping list as it can be used to create so many different meals, so that’s my go to. The full list of ingredients needed for this recipe are as follows.
- 500g beef mince – lean, less than 20% fat
- 4 medium carrots
- 2 parsnips
- A handful of peas – frozen are fine
- 3 large potatoes
- 1 sweet potato
- Schwartz shepherds pie casserole mix
- 200ml cold water – for the above packet mix
- Water for boiling your vegetables
- A couple of knobs of butter
- A splash of milk
- Two handfuls of mature cheddar cheese
- Salt & pepper
Make sure you preheat your oven to begin with. Just over 200°C should be about right so if you’re a gas marks person, just over gas mark 6. Firstly, peel the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato and potatoes. Set two carrots aside and chop everything else similar medium sized chunks. Chuck it in a pan and boil for 15 minutes, until soft enough to pop a knife through with ease. The other two carrots need chopping into small pieces. We’ll use these in a minute.
You need to brown off the mince in a pan over a medium heat for about five minutes. Many people pop chopped onion in too but I don’t really like it. The shepherds pie casserole mix by Schwartz takes the flavour of your pie to the next level anyway. With paprika, garlic and bay leaves it’s simply bursting with herbs and spices which will tickle your taste buds. Add the small pieces of carrot after a couple of minutes and stir every so often to ensure an even browning. Drain off the excess liquid.
Mix the contents of the packet mix with the cold water and add to the pan with the handful of peas. Stir it all together, bring to the boil and then simmer for five minutes. Transfer all of this to a large ovenproof dish.
Your boiling vegetables should be done by now. Drain off the water, add the butter and the milk and mash those veggies up good and proper. Add a pinch of salt and pepper as you mash. Then dollop the mashed veggies on top of the mince and spread out with a fork. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes, take out and add sprinkle the cheese on top. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.
Serve up and enjoy delicious food and family chat around the dinner table. You could add some steamed broccoli on the side or some runner beans for a delicious addition of greens. A delicious pie with hints of garlic and smokey flavours. Job done.
It is available at supermarkets like Tesco, down the packet and pour over sauces aisle. It has no artificial colours, no hydrogenated fat, no added preservatives and importantly for us, no MSG. I hate food with MSG because it just leaves me gagging for gallons of water.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this shepherds pie recipe. Let me know over on Twitter what your favourite takes on tradition meals are. Nom nom nom!
