By Geraldine Duncann
Shepherd’s or Cottage Pie – The Cherub Pub, Dartmouth, South Devon
Four to six servings
The Cherub in Dartmouth where I first had cottage pie is a wonderful pub. It is one of the oldest buildings in Dartmouth and sports gorgeous half timbering, leaded glass and a rare dragon beam.
Shepherd’s or Cottage pie is one of those dishes that grew out of expediency, made by thrifty housewives to use up the leftovers from the Sunday dinner, which almost always consisted of a roast, potatoes and vegetables. Cottage Pie was usually made for Monday night’s dinner. The leftover meat and vegetables were chopped small and put into a casserole with the leftover gravy. The potatoes were mashed and spread over the top to form a crust. It was then put into he oven and baked until the gravy was hot and bubbling and the potato crust just beginning to brown. Just before serving, a generous knob of butter was placed in a well in the center to melt and cascade down the sides in golden rivulets. This dish was called Cottage Pie when made with beef or pork and Shepherd’s Pie when made with lamb or mutton.
Today it is almost always made with ground meat. You may of course use fresh vegetables, however, the easiest is to simply use frozen peas or peas and carrots. I also like to add fresh onions, mushrooms and parsley.
- 1 pound of ground beef, pork or lamb
- Olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- About 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
- About 2 cups of frozen peas or peas and carrots
- 1 teaspoon mixed dry herbs, or finely chopped favorite fresh herbs to tasteAbout 2 cups of gravy –
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and fresh coarse ground black pepper to taste
- About 2 cups of mashed potatoes
- butter
Heat a heavy skillet and over moderate heat, gently sauté the meat, breaking it apart into small pieces as you work. You do not want to cremate the meat and dry it out. It should still be tender and juicy and showing a bit of pink. This will take only two to three minutes. Remove the meat from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Pour off the fat, wipe the pan and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Gently sauté the onion in the skillet until pinkish and translucent but not yet beginning to brown. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until they are hot through and beginning to become translucent; only two or three minutes. Mushrooms are thirsty. You may need to add a bit more olive oil, but be careful not to get them too oily. Add the vegetables and herbs and continue to sauté for another two to three minutes. Return the meat to the pan and stir gently.
Place the mixture in a casserole that is large enough to hold the mixture comfortably. Add the parsley, stir gently and spread the mashed potatoes on top. Place in the middle of a 350° oven and bake for thirty to forty-five minutes or until the gravy is bubbling and the potatoes are beginning to brown around the edges. * Remove from the oven, make a well in the center of the potato crust and add a generous knob of butter. Served hot with fresh crusty bread and mugs of hot tea or good English ale, his makes for a superb family pleasing meal.
* It’s a good idea to put a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drips. Putting some water in the baking sheet will make cleanup easier.
You don’t really need a recipe to make Cottage pie. It can be as basic as described above, or you can expand the concept a bit. I usually sauté a diced onion to add to the chopped meat and vegetables. I think traditional vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, parsnips etc.) work better than Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, sweet potatoes and corn. So, simply dice some turkey, chop up vegetables, (if you don’t have enough veggies left use a package of frozen,) mix with leftover gravy, add the sautéed onion and put it into a baking dish that can come to the table. You can add a bit of minced parsley or other herbs if you wish. Cover with mashed potatoes and put into a 350° oven until all is hot through and the potatoes are just beginning to brown on top. Add a generous knob of butter to melt on top before serving.
This is a perfect use for leftover Thanksgiving dinner.