By Bernie and Mike Bell

It was April….it was cold…..it was snowing …..’lambing snow’…..Shepherd’s Pie……warms you up…

Mike made up this recipe, which is delicious.  Pare down the fancy bits and you have a basic Shepherd’s Pie!  Variations on a theme.

Ingredients

• 2 LARGE potatoes, cut into smallish chunks (it’s fine not to peel them)
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 2 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• ½ a sweet pepper, sliced
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4 oz. Quorn mince
• 6 fl. Oz. stock
• Tblsp tomato purée
• Dash of soy sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar or other sweet thing
• Tsp mixed herbs
• Tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Pinch of chilli powder
• Tsp wholegrain mustard ( optional)
• Tblsp margarine or butter
• Tblsp cooking oil
• Salt & ground black pepper

Boil potatoes for about 20 minutes until tender.

Fry carrot in oil for a few minutes – it’s OK for them to brown slightly.  Add sweet pepper, mushrooms and garlic and stew with sugar or other sweet thing – could be apple sauce or tomato ketchup.

Add herbs and spices, plus mince. Add tomato purée and soy sauce to stock and add to pan.  Any left-over cooked veg you might have can be added – this time, it was half a tin of sweetcorn.  Simmer while potatoes are cooking, allowing the sauce to thicken.  Get the oven heating to 200°C.  Mash potatoes with marge (and mustard if using) and season with salt & pepper.

Season the mince mixture to taste, and place in greased oven dish. Top with mashed potatoes.  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until mash is nicely browned.

We had this with the last of the Kale from the veg patch – it’s seen us right through the winter.   Last year’s mixed veg patch is now cleared – the brassica stems went our neighbour’s pigs to give them a little treat – and will become this year’s tattie patch. The year moves on.