A shepherds pie recipe to warm you right up!
I am sharing yet another yummy and nutritious Jamie Oliver recipe, with my own vegan & vegetarian version for non-meat eaters. I have tried both options and they're delicious, easy and can be prepared well ahead of time.
I actually used cricket flour instead of wheat flour 'cause that's all I had in the house! It was a great taste and is a good option for people who can't eat wheat or gluten and don't mind eating flour made from insects! If you want to know more about the benefits of cricket flour there's a video of Brighton folk trying the edible insect health bars here!)
INGREDIENTS
500 g lean minced lamb or 500 g soya mince
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary - finely sliced
1 x 400 g tin of cannelloni beans or any other pulses
2 onions - finely chopped
2 carrots - finely chopped
2 sticks of celery - finely chopped
250 g mushrooms - finely chopped
1 heaped tablespoon plain flour or wheat-free, high protein cricket flour
800 ml chicken or veg stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mint sauce
350 g frozen peas
For the topping, mashed potato & swede is called for but I found a really delicious, ready-made one from Ocado that saves time and also includes carrot! Whose got the time to do it any other way!
ALL THE VEG & BEANS THAT GO INTO THE VEGETARIAN OPTION OF THIS SHEPHERDS PIE RECIPE.
HOW TO
Pop either lamb or soya mince in a hob-to-oven casserole, or a large saucepan, on high heat adding black pepper and cook for about 10-15 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Then add the chopped rosemary and the drained beans, Cook and stir for another 8 minutes or so. Add all the veg and sweat for a further 10 mins on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in the flour and then the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat with the lid on, for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, either: boil the swede, chopped into chunks, for 10 minutes. Then add the diced potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes. Drain, mash and add milk, cheese or butter & seasoning. Or do the topping my lazy way by buying a ready made swede & potato mash and put your feet up for 20 minutes!
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 if you're eating soon.
After thirty minutes, add the Worcester and mint sauce (still lovely added to soya mince) and season. Then all you have to do is pop it all into an oven casserole, if it's not in one already, sprinkle a layer of peas over the mince & veg, then top it all with the mash, and it's good to go. Either keep it for later (I have even kept it overnight in the fridge, once it's cooled off) or pop straight into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until it's looking golden and cooked and the liquid has thickened.
Serve with spinach or any greens you like and there you have it - a filling, healthy meal for 4 or at least a couple of meals for 2.
Let me know if you try it and have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year, if I don't talk to you before. I am off to Australia so expect some very colourful blogs to come!
Thank you for your wonderful support this year, it's been awesome.
