My shepherd's pie

[Constance]

Kim, your recipe sounds great. My husband, Kim, and I will definately be trying it! (We work as a team, nowadays.)

In regard to the instant vs homemade mashed potatoes: If you have leftover homemade mashed potatoes, use those. Or, you can now by ready-to-eat mashed potatoes in the dairy case.

Personally, I have no objection to instant potatoes. I ate a lot of them, growing up. We also ate the boxed scalloped potatoes, and those little frozen boxes of vegetables...and were glad to get'em.
My mom worked days and my dad worked second shift, but she made sure we both got a good nutricious lunch every day. She got things started before she left in the mornings, then did the rest on her lunch hour. There were no crock-pots or micro-waves back then, either.

[Lynan]

Originally Posted by StirBlue

This thing with the mashed potatoes on top is not a shepherds pie at all. This dish was started sometime in the 1930's as an economical way to feed a large family. It is commonly known as a casserole. I don't know who started calling it a shepherds pie but that has been coined over the past 10-15 years.
I know that there are two types of shepherds pie, one with lamb and vegetables and one with vegetables only. The cottage pie has roast beef and vegetables. They are both baked in a pie crust with a crust topping. The chicken pie can sometimes have a biscuit topping.
For some reason we now have the pot pie (chicken, turkey, beef) which is most similar to a shepherds pie.
I do so love these pies as I am very fond of the crust.

Shepherds Pie was created in the north of England and in Scotland in the 18th century I believe. Heaps of sheep about those areas and plenty of potatos also, and potato was always used as a topping. The recipe obviously arrived in the USA with immigrants, but here in New Zealand we have been eating it with a potato top for as long as we have had recipe books!! And we usually add a healthy slosh of ketchup to the plate as well.
Must try it with corn and cheese next time tho'...it does sound good.

[JoAnn L.]

Thanks for the great recipe, I have been looking a long time for a recipe like yours.

[kimbaby]

Originally Posted by Lynan

Kimbaby, the combination of meat, cheese and corn topped with potatos sounds great! Never thought of adding corn.

A question to you all....do you have such a thing as Cottage Pie in the States? I ask because here in sheep country ( New Zealand) a Shepherds Pie is with lamb and a Cottage Pie with beef. Whats in a name, I know ...but I am interested if any of you do a lamb one.

I honestly never heard of it, but would love to try it...

[kimbaby]

Real Poatoes Would Be Great WIth It As Well, I Just Fix This In A Hurry So I Use Instant, But You Can Tweak It To Your Satisfaction:)

[In the Kitchen]

Saw Chef Ramsay's the F word today. On it he made what he called Shepherd's Pie. It included everything that most of your recipes have except for the seasonings and carrots. Also had wine and beef broth but I cannot remember exactly everything t hat he included. Does anyone have idea where I could get his recipe other than buying one of his cookbooks? He always seems to make everything sound as if it is the best. Thanks.

[In the Kitchen]

Okay, I found it. Just had to do little searching, very little. Now t he recipe is metric measurements. I am lost. I know things are changing but could someone give me idea of how to decipher these measurements? for instance 500g lean lamb? 500g is how many pounds? If I copy the recipe I will doing something that is not permitted. I tried couple of time to submit recipe and they wanted notice where I got it and could not remember. Thanks for understanding.

[waaza]

Originally Posted by In the Kitchen

Okay, I found it. Just had to do little searching, very little. Now t he recipe is metric measurements. I am lost. I know things are changing but could someone give me idea of how to decipher these measurements? for instance 500g lean lamb? 500g is how many pounds? If I copy the recipe I will doing something that is not permitted. I tried couple of time to submit recipe and they wanted notice where I got it and could not remember. Thanks for understanding.

c'mon 'in the kitchen', drag yourself into the 20th century (the 21st might be a step too far ) 500g is probably GR's way of saying a pound, though it won't matter much.

I'm with Lynan, Shepard's pie is very well defined, it's only you Americans that seem h*ll bent on messing everything up. If you put cheese on a shepard's pie, you get Cumberland pie (I live in Cumberland ), and if you want to put beef and corn in your pie, then call it sumit else, and leave our shepard's pie alone!

Note that I'm not criticizing the pie, just what you call it.

[kitchenelf]

DUH - we should have called it "Cow Herder's Pie"

And the name was coined way more than 15 - 20 years ago. When I was like 5 it was called Shepherd's Pie - oh wait - yea, right, that was only about 15 - 20 years ago - NOT!

[buckytom]

Originally Posted by waaza

c'mon 'in the kitchen', drag yourself into the 20th century (the 21st might be a step too far ) 500g is probably GR's way of saying a pound, though it won't matter much.

I'm with Lynan, Shepard's pie is very well defined, it's only you Americans that seem h*ll bent on messing everything up. If you put cheese on a shepard's pie, you get Cumberland pie (I live in Cumberland ), and if you want to put beef and corn in your pie, then call it sumit else, and leave our shepard's pie alone!

Note that I'm not criticizing the pie, just what you call it.

snob pie?