John Torode's shepherd's pie with hash brown topping
It’s the ultimate winter warmer - John is pairing a classic Shepherd's pie base with a crispy hash brown topping for the ultimate seasonal pick me up.
John Torode’s Shepherds Pie for the Family
Serves: 6 - 8
Ingredients
50m olive oil50g butter 2 small onions, peeled & sliced 2 large carrots, finely chopped4 sticks celery, finely chopped1 leek, finely chopped2 cloves garlic1kg minced lamb, not too fine or fatty ½ bunch thyme½ bunch rosemary60g flour700ml stock1 tsp Vegemite or marmite 2 bay leavesBrown sauce or ketchup Salt and pepper
For the hash brown toppingAbout 1kg frozen hash browns, defrosted 20ml olive oilBunch of flat parsley, chopped Salt and pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Heat the oil and butter in a big heavy pan on the hob and start to cook the vegetables. When they smell like they are frying, add a good amount of salt and pepper and then cook for another few minutes.
2. Add the mince and fry it well so it has some colour over a high heat. It will take a good 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
3. Tie the herbs together with some string and drop them into the pot, this way you can take out the herbs at the end and you won’t then have any stalks floating in your pie.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and cook it for a further 5 minutes. The flour needs to cook a bit or it will make the pie taste of flour rather than meat.
5. Slowly pour in the stock, then add the Vegemite and bay leaves and simmer for 30 minutes until the stock has reduced and the sauce has become thick.
6. Meanwhile, whilst the filling is cooking, break the hash browns into chunks and place on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. After this time, remove from the oven, sprinklewith the olive oil and add the chopped parsley. Season with some pepper and stir.
7. Take the cooked meat sauce off the heat and add some brown sauce or ketchup to your taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. Pour the filling into a big pie dish (about 27 x 20cm) or small individual dishes but only half fill, you can always make a few little ones and freeze without the top for one night when you are all alone.
9. Scatter some of the potatoes over the top of your pie dishes to cover, push the potato in a little so they go crisp on top but will still be slightly soggy under - perfect for a pie.
10. Cook the finished pie in the oven for 30 minutes until the top is golden. Serve with tomato ketchup (as all great pies are).