Culinary Question for the Brits

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Seriously.

Is shepherd's pie normally served casserole-style (i.e., something that you spoon up from a deep dish) or can it be solid enough to be served sliced is a wedge? We've had it the latter way at exactly ONE restaurant, and of course that's the way Velcro likes it best. I'm at a loss to find a recipe to reproduce this.

Can anyone help out, or is this so far off base as to be unattainable?

 

My mother, grandmother and great grandmother have always prepared Shepherd's pie in a casserole dish but it is fairly solid and served in slices. If you would like I can ask my mother for her recipe.

 

That would be great, JSBB! Full credit will be given at the table!

 

Rally, the traditional way is usually deep dish. Also, cottage pie often gets sold and called Shepherds pie, but that is another argument entirely.

Although the traditional way is ineed deep dish, I have had it served as a wedge before, and is accepted. Fior that, you will need to have the filling much drier than normal, and also the mashed potato cannot be too thick, or moist. To prepare it that way you'd have to use a shallower dish. That would allow it to dry out, and for the mash to crisp and harden.

 

It's deep dish. Any other way is an insult. Serve it with Yorkshire puds, sorté potatoes and veg. Mmmm...

 

Wait - shepherd's pie (mashed potatoes on top), and yorkshire pudding, and sorte potatoes (whatever those are)?

Yikes! That's enough starchy food to last me a week!

 

Gerrit daan yer! Yer big jessy!

 

I am suprised that you haven't starched yourself solid by now.

 

Oh my God, I sit here looking at my mother's recipe card for Shepherd's Pie and the only thing that I can think is that I could never produce a decent final product from these - to my mind at least - incredibly vague instructions. When I commented upon this to my mother she replied that cooking is an art not a science to which my only reply was to

I will send you the recipe Rallymama but I don't know how useful it will be.

 

I don't think Shepherd's Pie should be solid enough to slice. That would mean that the mashed potatoes were too solid (never a good thing). Same goes for Cottage Pie.

 

The mashed potatoes don't have to be all that solid for you to serve Shepherd's Pie in slices, the meat-base has to be firm and then the mashed potatoes just sit on top of it - sort of like whipped cream on a slice of dessert pie.

 

JSBB, thanks. I can work with your Mom's recipe. And I'll she treated Shep's Pie like "refrigerator velcro" - whatever leftover veggies happened to be lurking in the fridge that night got tossed into the pot. I'll admit to doing similar things.

 

Hey! How about posting that recipe up in here? I have had and made Shepard's Pie before without ever knowing that it was British. The first time I had it, it was made by my step-mother who is from the south-east US, so I thought that it must be a southern thing.

I'd be interested in seeing others recipes for it.

P.S. - Mine's always served casserole-style.

 

Sigh, it isn't much of a recipe. The finished product as my Mom makes it tastes great but as I said I don't think I could replicate it from these instructions. However, I guess it couldn't hurt to post it.

There is actually a pretty good chance that my mother is cooking some up tonight - she had my grandparents and I over for a Roast Beef, Roasted Potatoes and Yorkshire Pudding dinner last night.

1 large onion
Ground leftover Roast Beef or Ground Steak
1 can consomme
Salt and Pepper
Pinch of Dry Mustard
Mashed Potatoes

****JSBB's notes (1) The recipe also uses butter, olive oil and flour - why these don't warrent being included in the ingredients list I do not know.

(2) No where in this recipe is there any mention of adding vegetables to the beef - I don't think I have ever seen my mother fail to add (occassionally) peas and/or (almost always) corn. I mentioned this to my mother to which she replied "Oh that isn't part of the recipe - I just add it in if I feel like it"

****

Fry onion in butter and a few drops of olive oil until transparent. Add meat and cook until onion is golden. Add can of consomme. Add salt, pepper and mustard to taste. Simmer until done. Thicken with flour mixed with water. Place in oven dish **** a.k.a. a casserole dish to most people**** and cover with about 2" of mashed potatoes. Bake until golden.

 

Woah woah woah. Hold up.

Mustard?

I'll ask MY mum if you like. She makes a bangin shepards pie.

 

Yes, but only a PINCH and we are talking proper dry mustard i.e. the powder and not the horrible day-glow yellow gloop that is put on hamburgers and hotdogs.

 

That sounds delicious. Now I know what mine is missing. I don't use the consomme (~95% sure I know what this is). That should make it juicier and add some flavor. Not to mention the butter, oil, and mustard.

On the other hand, I use garlic and green peas in mine. Then I top it with a layer of shredded cheddar cheese. Also, since I'm not generally a very patient person, especially while waiting for food, I usually put mine in the microwave instead of the oven.

 

That's just the sort of thing that's likely to get you arrested.

Or at least beat up by a gang of angry home economics teachers.

 

What? You mean people cook things without microwaves? Weird...