A Recipe for Mother's Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie is one of my all-time favorites. Most people will tell you that nobody ever cooks as good as their mothers do, and as much as they try to recreate a recipe, it just never seems to taste the way you remember it. Whenever we were asked what we wanted for dinner that evening, a chorus of little voices always rang out "Shepherd's Pie, please!"

Shepherd's Pie is very simple to make. If grocery shopping day is fast approaching and your pantry is looking a little bare, you will most likely still have the basics this recipe calls for. Of course the vegetables may be substituted, but the most important flavoring in this recipe comes from having the onion, celery and Worcestershire Sauce. These ingredients should always be kept.

Ingredients:

-1 diced, large white onion

-3lb. ground beef

-1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce

-1/2 cup of Ketchup

-1 stick of celery, sliced

-1 can green peas

-1 large carrot, sliced

-2 tbs cornstarch

-6 large potatoes

Method:

-Brown the beef and onion together until beef is well cooked

-Drain the oil from the beef and sprinkle 2 tsp of corn starch across the meat and onions

-Stir continuously to cook the cornstarch. If this isn't cooked enough it will leave a very bland taste which cannot be disguised

-Once the starch has been thoroughly browned into the meat and onion mixture, add one cup of water, the ketchup and Worcestershire Sauce

-Add the carrots, celery and peas

-Set to simmer and cover

Pre heat your oven to 200 degrees

In a large saucepan, add 6 large, chopped and peeled potatoes. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer until potatoes are soft. Mash them with 1 tbs of butter, a dash of milk and black pepper. Cover and set aside.

The meat mixture is cooked enough once the carrot slices are tender.

-Remove from the pan and place the whole batch of mixture into a deep round pie dish or square 2 in. deep slab pan

-Spoon the mashed potatoes across the top, and using a wooden spoon, smooth over filling all gaps

-Gently butter the top all over

-Take a fork, and score a criss-cross pattern into the mashed potatoes

-Sprinkle with dried breadcrumbs and top with grated cheese

Place into the oven and check after 20 minutes. Shepherd's Pie is ready to serve once the breadcrumbs have turned golden brown

*Serve with steamed green beans or spinach on the side

Recipe serves 8 people.

Shepherd's Pie freezes and thaws well for later use. Make the full batch as described or modify to suit.