CALLING FOR SHEPHERD’S PIE
Classic, Cozy & Comforting choice to feast on!
Shepherd’s pie, a common and inexpensive British dish originating from the sheep country in Scotland and northern England, is a baked meat pie made with minced or diced lamb and topped with a thick layer of mashed potatoes. This cottage pie was the precursor to “shepherd’s pie”, which was coined in the middle of the 19th century. However, as time went on, a distinction was made: shepherd’s pie referred to a dish made with lamb (because sheep are tended to by shepherds!), and cottage pie referred to a dish made with beef.
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The dish has many variants, but the defining ingredients are red meat and onions in gravy or sauce, with a topping of mashed potato. Sometimes other vegetables are added to the filling, such as peas, sweetcorn, celery, or carrots. It is sometimes also gratinated with grated cheese. Irish Shepherd’s Pie is a delicious comforting dish perfect for celebrating upcoming St Patrick’s Day. Ground meat is cooked with lots of vegetables and topped with delicious mashed potatoes and cheese, and then baked to create a perfect golden crust, while shepherd’s pie uses lamb, Cottage Pie uses beef.
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In early cookery books, the dish is given as a way of using leftover roasted meat of any kind, and the pie dish was lined on the sides and bottom with mashed potato, as well as having a mashed potato crust on top. A more elaborate version in 1921 by Auguste Escoffier consisted of a baked potato whose contents were emptied, mixed with diced meat and lyonnaise sauce, and returned to the potato shells or skins to be baked. This version is not found in standard cookbooks.
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Here are a few of my ways with easy to set, bake and dish out Shepherd’s Pie variations to relish:
Recipe-1] CHEF’S SPECIAL BAKED BONANZA PIE
Recipe-2] CHICKEN AND PEPPER PIE
Recipe-3] COMFORTING MINCE MEAT PIE
Recipe-4] COZY SAUSAGE COTTAGE PIE
Recipe-5] HIDDEN TREASURE PROTEIN PIE
Recipe- 6] VEGGIE WONDER PIE BAKE
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About the author
Dr. Kaviraj Khialani, celebrity master chef is a Mumbai based food and hospitality consultant. He is specialised in over 33 plus international cuisines & is a two times national award winner for his excellence in his field of expertise. Chef Kaviraj has worked with some of the reputed hotel chains & airline companies in India & Overseas. He is a renowned academician, food designer & author- writer on food and culinary features, besides having been featured on Colors Television & Star plus he loves trying global fusion cooking promoting Indian food on an international platter for the diaspora.