SHEPHERDS PIE
This is a french-style shepherd's pie of beef mince slow fried with onion, carrot, garlic, thyme, bacon, wine, tomato paste and parsley covered with mashed potato and oven baked until golden and bubbling. Served with curly kale tossed with lemon zest and juice and extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients
600g Agria Potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
100mls Milk, heated
65g Butter
1 onion, finely chopped
40g rindless bacon, diced in 1cm pieces
1 Carrot finely diced
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 thyme sprigs
500g Pure South Beef mince
100mls Dry White Wine
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
2 tablespoons Parsley leaves, chopped
3 Curly Kale leaves pulled off stalks (stalks discarded)
1 Lemon, zest and juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Method
Preheat oven to 220C
Boil potatoes for 15 minutes in plenty of salted water. When tender mash with milk and 25 grams of the butter. Reserve
Heat 25 grams of the butter over moderate heat in a frying pan and add the bacon, onion, carrot, garlic, thyme and mince. Fry gently, breaking up the mince, for 10 minutes. Add the wine, turn up the heat and let it bubble for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and parsley and mix well. Discard the thyme sprigs. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put this mixture into a small ovenproof dish, spread mashed potato on top. Melt the remaining 15 grams of butter and brush it over the mash. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until bubbling and potato browned
Meanwhile boil the kale in plenty of salted water for 5 minutes. Drain well and add lemon zest, juice and oil. season and mix well
Serve the pie with kale on the side