img_0109The pea shoots have survived a day in their beds without being decimated by the slugs or birds and I am keeping an eye on the weather for-cast for late frosts! We’ve gone back to trying to empty the freezer and use up things from the fridge. This morning I grabbed a pack of frozen lamb mince. Another of those bargains in the reduced fridge £1 for a pound. Good value but only if we eat it.

So what have we got to go with it? A few carrots, the last few spoon fulls of frozen peas, lots of potatoes, a mozzarella and some mushrooms.  There seems to be only one choice – shepherds pie of course.

You need:

2 or 3 table spoons or a glug of olive oil

1 onion diced

1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped

454 grams (or a pound) of lamb mince

50 ml of red wine – optional

2 teaspoons tomato puree

4 small or 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

a few table spoons of peas

a few mushrooms, peeled and chopped

salt & pepper

2 good quality beef stock cubes 

4/5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped up for boiling

Cooking it:

Put the olive oil in a medium saucepan and heat on medium

Add the onion & garlic and fry gently for a few minutes.

Turn up the heat and stir in the mince.

Stir regularly and turn down a bit if catching until browned.

Add the tomato puree, red wine and veg.

Stir in the stock and a good pinch of salt and pepper.

Add a wine glass of water stir and allow it to gently bubble away. It may need a bit more water so keep an eye on it.

Now bring the potatoes to boil in a pan of salted water poking a couple of potatoes with a Sharp knife every 5 minutes until the knife goes through them easily.

Put the lamb mixture in the bottom of an oven proof bowl.

Mash the potato with a knob of butter if you have it and add a little pepper.

Spread the mash over the top.

Cut the motzerela into slices and arrange over the spud mash.

Alternatives

Healthy options -

              Use a mixed carrot and swede mash.

               Add other veg to the mince

other ideas:

Put slices of tomarto on top as well as the cheese.

Use a bit of hard chedder, grated and sprinkled over the top

a couple of spring oniond chopped and mixed with the mash

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