Shepherd's Pie

My eldest has been pestering me to make this for a week - I don't recall ever making it, so perhaps she got mixed up with the cottage pie I made last week, or she's had it at a friend's house. Feeding 3 young children can be challenging at times, so I was heartened by the way they hoovered this one up and asked for seconds!

Ingredients

• 400g lamb mince (or leftover lamb)
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, finely diced
• 450ml lamb stock (I used a Knorr stock cube)
• 1 tablespoon worcester sauce
• 1 large dollop of tomato puree
• A dash of dark soy sauce for colour
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 4 medium floury potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• Sunflower or Vegetable oil
• Milk
• Butter
• Lots of black pepper and a bit of salt

Serves 4-6 people

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large pan, and add the diced onions. Stir on a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened
• Increase the heat, add the lamb mince and brown thoroughly. If there is too much fat in the pan at this stage for you, then tip the whole lot into a colander, give the pan a rinse and return the lamb and onion
• Add the flour to the pan and mix in thoroughly. Stir for a few minutes to cook the flour.
• Add the tomato puree, diced carrots, worcester sauce and lamb stock and mix thoroughly. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat. At this stage I add a bit of dark soy for colour, tonnes of ground black pepper and a bit of salt. 
• Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pan with the lid ajar and let cook for approx. 45 minutes.
• In the meantime, make the mash. Add the potatoes to a pan of water and bring to the boil.
• Boil for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Drain, return to the pan, mash, then add butter and milk until you have a smooth, soft consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees if you are cooking immediately
• Pour the lamb mixture into one large or two medium baking dishes. 
• If you can be bothered, pipe the mashed potato on top of the lamb (I do this because it gives you a lovely crunchy topping). If not, spoon the mash over, starting at the sides and working your way into the centre of the pie.

• If you are cooking immediately, the pie should take no longer than 30 mins in the oven. If, like me, you tend to do this in a panic at midnight for the children's dinner the next day because you are travelling or in late meetings (or because you can't stand the thought of trying to prepare this with a grumpy toddler biting your ankles and whinging at your knee), it will take about 45 minutes from cold.
• Serve with lots of lovely rice and some greens - peas or broccoli work well. My eldest asked for sweetcorn and baked beans on the side!