Conference turris::cooks

    I usually add a little bit of mozzerella cheese to 
    the mashed potatoes - it gives it a nice flavor!
    
    Also, you could fry up some onions along with the
    hamburg...or add some mushrooms!

    Instead of using mashed potatoes, you might also try using diced
    potatoes (somewhat pre-cooked before adding it to the concoction).
    If you chop/dice them very finely into little cubes, they give the
    "pie" a better texture (less mushy).

    
    I BEGIN MY SHEPERD'S PIE BY BROWNING SOME HAMBURGER MEET IN A FRYING
    PAN. I YOU A WOODEN SPPON TO BREAK UP THE MEAT REAL WELL. I LET
    THE MEAT COOK REAL GOOD AND DONE. IF THE MEAT IS NOT COOKED DONE,
    IT WILL EAT "STRINGY". I ALLOW THE GENERATE GREASE TO REMAIN WITH
    THE MEAT IN THE PAN. I THEN TAKE A PACKAGE OF HAMBURGER SEASONING
    MIX (C.F. SAUCER AND FRENCH MAKE SOME GOOD MIXES) AND CRUMBLE IT
    UP REAL WELL IN A SAUCER. I ADD THIS TO THE GROUND BEEF AND MIX
    IT VERY WELL. THE GREASE WILL "DISAPPEAR". YOU MUST STIR WELL AT
    THIS POINT OR THE MEAT WILL SCORCH.
    
    I THEN PUT THE GROUND BEEF IN THE BOTTOM OF A CASSEROLE DISH.
    
    AFTER CREAMING THE POTATOES, I ADD CREAM, A LITTLE BUTTER, SALT
    AND PEPPER (TO TASTE) THE MIXTURE. I MIX THIS REAL WELL. I THEN
    PUT THE CREAMED POTATOES ON TOP OF THE GROUND BEEF IN THE CASSEROLE
    DISH. I SPRINKLE SHREADED SHARP CHEESE ON TOP OF THE CREAMED POTATOES.
    
    I PLACE THE DISH IN THE OVEN, AND TURN THE TOP OF THE OVEN ON (BROIL
    SETTING). I ALLOW THE CHEESE TO MELT.
    
    THIS IS GOOOOOD EATING !!!!!!!!!!

    Start by gently softening one onion, finely chopped, in melted
butter or margarine (or olive oil if you're worried about saturated
fats). After a couple of minutes or so, add a stick or two of
celery and a carrot, both thinly sliced. When the vegetables
are soft (after about 5 minutes or so), add hamburger (I use about
half a pound for two people). Stir until the meat has browned.
Meanwhile prepare some beef stock from a cube, and skin two or three
tomatoes by sitting them in hot water for a couple of minutes, then
slipping off the skins. Chop the tomatoes roughly. (In a pinch,
tinned tomatoes will do).
    When the meat has browned, add about a tablespoon of flour and stir 
into the mixture. Then add the tomatoes and about a cup of the stock.
Season with salt and freshly ground pepper (or, better, peppercorns
just crushed in a pestle and mortar if you want to taste the pepper
as I always do). Add a little marjoram and a dash of worcestershire
sauce. Leave this lot to cook for twenty minutes or so. Add more stock 
if it looks like it needs it. Meanwhile boil two or three large potatoes.
Mash them with butter, cream, pepper and some freshly ground nutmeg.
The assembly is easier if the mashed potato is relatively moist.
    When the meat mixture is cooked, transfer to an oven-proof casserole.
Spread the mashed potato evenly over the top. Run a fork several times
over the surface to make little ridges in the potato (this helps to make
the top crisp). Scatter a few dots of butter over the top and then put
under the broiler for about five minutes or until the top is golden
brown and crisp.
    
    ...Robert                                                            
    

     Ok, my turn for Ricks Famous Shepard Pie.
    First, very lean hamburg fry it until it'd cook well. No redness.
    Add diced onions and sweet red and green peppers just when the meat
    starts to turn brown. Drain all the oil  and fat out.
    Second mask potatos- Regular masked but use less milk and more butter.
    I now add chives to the mash Potatos adds a nice flavor to it.
    
     Now I'm ready to put it all togetherin a Cassarole dish. First
    the hamburg about a 1 1/2 inch layer, next add cream corn, right
    from the cubbard. Not need to cook the corn. 2 cans will do just
    nice. THe potatos go on top, about 1 1/2 inch. A touch of paprika.
    Cover and cook for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
    
                      Rick

    3 T butter
    2 c chopped onions
    2 t finely chopped garlic
    1/2 t dried thyme
    2 1/2 lb ground raw (or cooked) lamb
    1 bay leaf
    (salt)
    pepper
    2 T flour
    1 c crushed tomatoes
    1/2 c water
    2 lb potatoes
    2 c milk
    1/4 c chopped parsley
    1/2 c grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese
    
    Heat 1 T butter in saucepan and cook onions, garlic, and thyme until
    the onions wilt. Add the lamb and the bay leaf.  Add (salt and)
    pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with flour.  Add tomatoes and water.
    Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
    
    Meanwhile, peel and quarter the potatoes, and boil 20 minutes.
    
    Preheat oven to 400 oF.
    
    Drain and mash the potatoes.
    
    Bring milk to a boil, and add to potatoes.  Beat in remaining butter.
    Add (salt and) pepper to taste.
    
    Stir prsley into lamb mixture.  Spoon it into a baking dish.  Top
    with mashed potatoes.  Sprinkle with cheese.
    
    Bake for 20 munites.  Run under broiler to glaze tope.
    
    6-8 servings

39.21 HAS A GOOD IDEA AND IT IS GOOD,I TRYED IT AND I NEVER HAD IT BEFORE
    SHEPARDS PIE AND I ENJOYED IT ALOT.
    

    COOK 1-2 LBS OF GROUND HAMBURG W/ ONE MED ONION UNTIL DONE; ADD
    SALT, PEPPER, AND SMALL AMT. OF GARLIC. WHILE THE HAMBURG IS COOKING
    PREPARE 4-6 MASHED POTATOES AND START AT SAME TIME AS HAMBURG. IN
    LAST 15 MINS., START TO SIMMER 2 CANS CREAM STYLE CORN OR 1 CAN
    NIBLETS, 1 CAN CREAM STYLE (I THINK THE CREAM STYLE ADDS MORE FLAVOR.
    
    WHEN HAMBURG AND ONION IS COOKED, DRAIN EXCESS FAT. PLACE HAMBURG
    IN BOTTOM OF DEEP CASSEROLE DISH (YOU CAN USE OLD FASHIONED SEASONED
    IRON SKILLET TOO). PUT HEATED CORN ON TOP OF HAMBURG. ADD MASHED
    POTATOES WITH HOT, MOIST SPOON. PLACE PATS OF BUTTER OVER POTATOES
    AND ADD LAYER OF PAPRIKA. PLACE UNDER "BROILER" FOR APPROX 10 MINS
    OR UNTIL POTATOES BROWN (FROM BUTTER) AND FORM NICE CRUST. I SUSPECT
    THAT IF YOU START WITH COLD INGREDIENTS, YOU COULD BAKE IT AT 350
    FOR 30 MINS AND THEN PLACE UNDER BROILER. LET ME KNOW HOW OR IF
    YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE. REGARDS, KIM

    MAKE YOUR FAVORITE MEATLOAF RECIPE ONLY PRESS DOWN FLAT
    INTO A ROUND BAKING DISH DEEP ENOUGH SO THAT THE MEAT 
    FILLS IT LESS THAN HALF FULL.
    
    WHEN THE MEATLOAF IS JUST ABOUT COOKED TO YOUR TASTE, ADD
    1-2 CANS OF CREAMED CORN AND A FEW PATS OF BUTTER.  THEN
    JUST TOP THAT WITH YOUR MASHED POTATOES.  SALT AND PEPPER.
    
    RETURN TO THE OVEN AND CONTINUE TO BAKE TIL THE POTATOES
    GET ALITTLE BROWN ON TOP AND SERVE. 
    
    I LIKE TO MAKE IT THIS WAY BECAUSE IT ALLOWS YOU TO CUT VERY
    NEAT WEDGE TYPE PIECES INSTEAD OF HAVING TO USE A SPOON TO
    SCOOP.  
    
    NOTE: I THINK THIS WOULD ALSO BE VERY GOOD BY ADDING A LITTLE
    CHEESE TO THE TOP OF THE POTATOES LIKE SOME OF THESE OTHER
    RECIPES CALL FOR.
    

    Chop an onion and cook in a little oil or butter till soft and
    translucent.  Brown a pound of hamburger. 
    
    Mix hamburger, onion, one can tomato soup, one can green beans, and one
    can corn.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Pour
    mixture in the bottom of a Pam'd casserole. 
    
    Top with spoonfulls of leftover mashed potatoes.
    
    Bake at 350 till heated through.

    I don't remember that recipe, but here is yet another version of
    Shepherd' Pie for folks to try!
    
    	"SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH SQUASHED POTATO TOPPING"
    
    
    Topping:
    
    1 medium size butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds) 
      cut in half lengthwise, seeded, pared and cut into 1" cubes
    3 medium sized russett baking potatos (about 1 1/2 pounds)
      pared and cut into 1" cubes
    4 T butter or margerine
    1/2 c heavy cream
    1/4 c milk
    1 1/2 t salt
    1/4 t black pepper
    1/4 t ground nutmeg
    1/8 t cayenne
    1 egg
      Paprika
    
    
    Filling:
    
    3 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 c)
    2 T veg. oil
    2 cloves garlic finely chopped or put thru a press
    1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, ground pork or ground turkey
    1 T basil
    1 T oregano
    1 t cumin
    1 t salt
    1/2 t thyme
    1/4 t pepper
    2 T flour
    1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, drained, seeded and cut up
    1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in 1/2" lengths
    
    
    1.	Prepare topping: Drop squash and potatoes into large saucepot with
    enough cold, salted water to cover veggies by 1 ".  Partially cover and
    bring to boiling over moderate high heat.  Boil 15 minutes or until
    tender.
    
    2.	Drain squash and potatos, return to pot.  Add butter, cream, milk,
    salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne.  Mash with potato masher until fluffy
    or beat with electirc mixer.  Cool slightly.  Reserve egg and paprika.
    
    3.	Preheat oven to moderate (375)
    
    4.	Prepare filling:  Saute onion in oil in 12 inch skillet over medium
    heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, cook 1 minute.  Remove,
    reserve on a plate.
    
    5.	Crumble beef into skillet; brown well over medium high heat, about
    3 minutes,.  Stir in basil, oregano, cumin, salt, thyme, pepper,
    reserved onion and flour.  Add tomatos and green beans, bring to
    boiling.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook 10 minutes.  Spoon into
    13 x 9 x 2 inch enamel lined baking pan or metal pan lined with
    aluminum foil.
    
    6.	Beat egg into squashed potato mixture, spread evenly over filling,
    making decorative swirls or a diamond grid pattern.  Sprinkle with
    paprika.
    
    7.	Bake in the top third of the preheated moderate over (375) for 40
    minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.  Cool the pie on a wire rack
    at least 20 minutes before serving.
    
    

    
    
          I have another version for Shephed 's Pie I use ground turkey
    instead fo hamburgh. 
    
    

 My wife makes a very tasty and easy to prepare shepherd's pie.

 1.5 lbs ground meat
 4-5 medium potatoes
 1 can kernel corn
 1 jar beef gravy
 1 small onion

 Peel potatoes and boil. Chop the onion finely, add to beef and brown in
a frying pan. Drain and place in the bottom of a baking dish. Pour the gravy
over this (you can add a can of mushrooms as well if you like), and empty the
can of corn on top. Mash the potatoes, and place them on top of the other
ingredients. Sprinkle paprika on top, and bake @350 for about 30 minutes
of so until heated through.

 The Doctah

    I was always under the impression that shepards pie was made from
    left-over roast beef and gravy from the night before, and then cooked
    in a fashion similiar to what we  Americans call 'pot pie'.  A pastry 
    shell is prepared (like a pie crust but thicker) and placed in a large 
    type of casserole dish, the roast beef chopped with the left-over gravy 
    and then some type of vegetables, peas, carrots (not canned) and whipped
    or mashed potatoes on top.  I've had it with a pastry crust covering
    the top.  A couple of my friends' mothers in the UK made this the next
    night after having roast beef or brisket with gravy and yorkshire
    pudding.  The shepard's pie was prepared from leftovers.
    
    Does anyone else prepare this dish in this type of fashion????
    
    
    /gail
    

    Re: 0
    
    There is actually one answer to both your questions.
    Shepherd's Pie can be made with any leftover meat (ie
    Easter ham, roast beef, steak, chicken, etc.)
    
    A very easy recipe is to cut up your leftover meat in
    small chunks.  Add a can of Veg-all (drained) or fresh
    veggies if you prefer and a can of cream of mushroom
    soup (or other creamed soup if you prefer).  Then
    top with mashed potatoes...you could even use the
    instant kind if you'd like.  You may season the
    meat/veggies with salt/pepper although with ham
    I wouldn't use any salt.  I add pats of oleo to
    the top of the potato and some pepper and bake in
    the oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.  It's a
    favorite of my husband and son and it's really very
    easy.
    
    Helaine

    I meant the way that it's prepared in the UK.
    
    I remember my mom when I was little force feeding all of us with 
    Veg-All .... yuck!! 
    
    I'm not a big fan of this dish in the US since most people use hamburg
    not roast beef and canned veggies.  I'm pretty sure that this dish was 
    intended to make use of left-overs, not create new ones.  If I remember 
    correctly, it wasn't that long ago, shepard's pie in the UK was great
    compared to how folks prepare it in this country. 
    
    
    
    /gail

My mother's Victorian (the age of the book, not the recipes therein) Family
Cookbook gives the recipe as

Take cold meats to hand and mince well, add the left over gravy and place
in a suitable pudding basin. Cover with mashed potatoe to a depth of 1"
and place in a warm oven until thoroughly heated through, and then serve.

---

no veggies, no pastry case, no pastry cap... 

/. Ian .\

    I make mine with minced beef, chopped onion and carrot and plenty
    of thick tasty gravy.  I either top it of with mashed potatoe or
    even thinly sliced potatoe (like crisps or chips - whatever you
    want to call them).
    
    Tracy

    
	

	This is the recipe my wife uses for Shepard's Pie and she
	is from the Rhonnda Valley in South Wales, U.K.

	Minced meat ( this is a mixture of ground beef, pork, and
	lamb. ) When stationed in England we could get it this way
	from the local butcher shop, but here in the States I have
	a meat grinder and grind and mix our own.

	Potatoes
	Onions
	Salt
	Pepper
	Sage
	Brown Gravy

	Brown meat and crumble. Slice potatoes and onions very thin.
	Make gravy ( a thin gravy that is going to cook down is best)
	and mix seasoning into gravy.(As optional seasoning I sometimes
	throw in celery seeds and caraway when my wife isn't looking)
	Also she says that in Wales they sometimes use leeks in place
	of / or in addition too the onions. Layer the meat, potatoes,
	and onions in alternating layers in a heavy iron skillet. (Its
	really a pot about 3 1/2 inches deep). Pour the gravy over
	the layers of meat and veg. until about 3/4 of them are covered.
	Cover the skillet/pot with the same type of pastry crust which
	is used for pot pies. Cook in oven until meat/veg is hot and
	the crust is golden brown.

	Also as a variant we sometimes add a little red wine to the
	gravy.
	
	Sorry about not giving amounts, but you just use whatever amounts
	you need for however many people you are feeding.

	Dave	
	
    

                           QUICK SHEPERD'S PIE
    
    
    1 Tblspn butter or marg
    1 small onion, chopped
    250 grams minced beef ( 1/2 lb)
    1 carrot, finely diced
    1/4 cup finely chopped celery
    1/2 cup beef stock
    2 tblspns tomato sauce (ketchup)
    1/2 tspn mixed herbs (thyme, sage, parsley etc)
    3 tspns cornflour 
    1 tblspn water  (blend with cornflour)
    1/4 tspn salt (optional)
    pepper
    2 cups mashed potato
    1 x 25 gram pkt of potato chips (or corn chips) - crushed
    1/4 tspn paprika
    
    
    
    1.	Melt butter on 100% power 30 seconds, add onion, cook 90 seconds,
    	stir cook 90 seconds.   Mix in next 9 ingredients, cook 6 minutes -
    	stir every 2 minutes.
    
    2.	Spoon mixture into a 4 cup ovenproof dish, cover with potato,
    	sprinkle with combine chips and paprika.    Cook on 70% power for 
    	4 minutes or till heated.
    
    3.	Serve with steamed vegies or tossed salad
    
    

    I thought that Shepherd's Pie was made with ground lamb.  My Mom always
    made this recipe which was our favorite meal.  Being French Canadian,
    we called it "PAUTE CHINOIS" or "Chinese Pie" (I doubt that this would
    be in any Chinese Cuisine).
    
    
                             PAUTE CHINOIS
    
    5 Large Potatoes, peeled, cooked, mashed w/milk & seasoned to taste
    1-1/2 Lbs Lean Ground Beef
    1 Large Onion, cut up
    1/2 Green Pepper, diced
    2 Stalks Celery, cut up
    1 Can Small Green Peas
    2 Cans Whole Kernel Corn
    
    While potatoes are cooking, brown ground beef in a skillet with onion,
    pepper and celery until done; season to taste.  In a large casserole 
    dish, place the peas and corn; spread the ground beef on top of vegies.
    Spread the mashed potatoes on top of ground beef and cover top with
    bread crumbs and sprinkle with grated cheese if desired.  Place
    casserole in 350o oven until top of potatoes starts turning golden or
    just until heated through.  
    
    (Note: Peas & corn can be heated in the casserole dish in a micro wave
    before spreading beef on top, topped with potatoes and served
    immediately without oven browning if you're in a hurry).  Takes only 30
    minutes to prepare this way.  Serve with pickles & rolls.  Enjoy!
    
    

    I read this note string looking for (and finding) interesting
    variations on 'Shepherd's' pie but then realised a technicality was amiss.
    
    Shepherd's pie is made with Lamb.
    
    Cottage Pie is made with Beef.
                                        
    Most of the recipes here are really for Cottage pie. However, I guess
    its all pretty irrelevant really especially seeing as I didn't know the
    existance of Cottage pie until the age of 19 (refering to any ground
    meat dish with mashed potatoes on top as Shepherd's pie) and didn't
    know the difference between the two until 26.
    
    I believe the fishy version is called Fisherman's pie; though I think
    there's a fancy name for it as well.
    
    Angus

    <I believe the fishy version is called Fisherman's pie; though I think
    <there's a fancy name for it as well.
    
    Cod Mornay?
    
    julia
    

    Angus,
    I think we are having that "what we call it in our country" problem
    again. (and technically, tortiere doesn't use ground beef either!) .
    
    But I think I am with the Americans on this one; Shepard's Pie,
    or "Pat� Chinois" as French Canadians call it, it made with 
    ground beef here. Other ground meats are merely considered a different
    version of the same thing here.
    
    Monica
    

    If you think about it, it does make sense that Shepherd's Pie refer to
    a savory pie made with lamb, seeing as a shepherd looks after sheep. 
    But if you persist with that line of reasoning, a pie made with  beef
    should be called a Cowherd's Pie.    Cow pie, for short, maybe?  ;^)
    
    I, too, have heard of fish pie by another name.  Can't remember the
    term, though I know it wasn't cod mornay. 

    I think you'll find that Shepherd's pie and Cottage pie are examples of 
    those British dishes developed centuries ago and 'refined' to what they 
    are today. Over time, not only have the basic ingredients changed (i.e.
    left over meat -> fresh ground meat) but so has the usage of the words. 
    Even in Britain, Shepherd's pie is used generically to describe a dish 
    with a 'ground meat base and a topping of mashed potatoes' and where
    the meat is usually beef. Some know the difference, other's only when
    pressed, while alot don't know. All my school ever churned out was called
    Shepherd's pie, regardless of whether the meat was beef, lamb, soya, a
    mixture or 'completely-unidentified-and-you-wouldn't-want-to-know'.
    
    Americans using ground beef in Shepherd's pie is not at all surprising.
    Cattle ruled the ranges, while sheep (and associated herders) were     
    despised. Beef was the order of the day, and Shepherd's pie came to be
    made and known to be made with beef. Its like (as you say) the old chip
    vs crips vs fries and biscuits vs cookies terminology problem.
    
    Still, its all a technicality and I'm far more interested in what goes
    in the dish :-)
    
    Angus
                                  

>(and technically, tortiere doesn't use ground beef either!) .

 Technically? You mean you've had one made with beef? I can't imagine it.

    
    I make a version of shepards pie, but use ground turkey or chicken,
    kernal corn, and white rice....

    Hey...I just read through this note and some notes (like .17 and .18 in
    particular) are not about Shephard's Pie at all, but about venison
    roast!
    
    To add something to the topic - I make pseudo-shephard's pie all the
    time, and add variations - such as red kidney beans (sometimes I leave
    the meat out entirely), lots and lots of veggies, sprinkle parmesan or
    chedder cheese on top, add cinammon...
    
    It's a versatile base for many dishes.
    
    I've also made a cross between shep pie and moussaka - that is, layers
    of eggplant, tomato sauce and meat, topped with masshed potatoes
    instead of bechamel sauce (sprinkle with parm cheese.)  Good and quite
    a bit healthier.
    
    D!

    Variation:
    
   	o	Mash 2 sweet potatoes with 4 white potatoes.  
    		Only use milk when mashing.
    
    	o	1/3 frozen peas with 2/3 frozen corn.
    
    	o	Fry hamburg and drain grease.  
    		Stir in 1/3 cup of any kind steak sauce.
    
    	o	Make white sauce w/2T butter, 2T flour, add 1t garlic,  
    		1/2 cup milk 1T hot paprika.
    
    Assemble as follows:
    
    Place hamburge in casserole pan, add vegies and pour white sauce over.
    Add potato mixture and spread over top for make "cover".  Add little 
    pads of butter (about six) to top, cover with freshly ground pepper
    and parmesean cheese.  
    
    Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, take cover off and broil for a few minutes
    till top is brown.
    
    Serve with side salad.
    
    cj