Shepherds Pie

There is a Birthday in the family. My husband's cousin. Sounds like a distant relative. To tell the truth he is my friend. We live miles apart, I in Mumbai and he in Kolkata. There are many wonderful moments we have spent together when we met at family gatherings. Lots of gossip and great food. Yes he is a foodie. His love for food begins with the shopping. He does it, shops for the best, with all the knowledge at his command. At family gatherings he participates in all menu plannings with the authority of a professional. This goes as far as Bengali food. For continental he turns to me. And that's how the topic of Shepherds Pie propped up. It was just a few days earlier he mentioned that I should post this recipe of Shepherds Pie. A humble dish prepared from leftover meat and mashed potatoes which satisfies the hungry Shepherd and is economical on his pocket.

This then is for Sumit Maitra whom I address as "Sumitda", on his birthday. Hoping the aroma wafts  through the air to his nostrils and fills his stomach.

 Happy Birthday once again.

Ingredients: 

• 500 gms mutton mince
• 250 gms potatoes.
• 3 onions finely sliced.
• 1 tsp Rosemary.
• 1/2 cup red wine.
• 2 carrots chopped.
• 1 tbsp celery chopped.
• 1/2 cup tomato puree.
• 1 tsp coarsley ground pepper.
• 1/2 cup chicken stock.
• 2 tbsp worchestershire sauce.
• 2 tbsp oil.
• 4 tbsp butter.
• 6 tbsp milk.
• 1 egg yolk.
• Salt to taste.

Method :

• In a pan heat oil add sliced onions and stir fry till it turns pink.
• Add mutton mince, salt, pepper, rosemary, carrots and celery, stir for 2mins.
• Add wine, and let it cook for a minute.
• Add stock and tomato puree and cook till the meat is tender and the liquid has dried out.
• Add worchestershire sauce and mix.
• This process should take 30 mins.
• Keep the mixture aside.
• Heat a pan add  4 tbsp butter and 6 tbsp milk, stir till the butter dissolves with the milk.
• Keep this warm, aside.
• Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker and when hot mash them.
• Add salt, pepper, egg yolk and the warm milk, stir vigoursly.
• Take a pie dish, place the mixture.
• Now with the help of a pipping bag pipe the potato mash over the meat.
• Preheat the oven to 250 deg C.
• Bake for 10 mins or till potatoes turn a golden brown.

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