Tonight is the perfect night for Shepherd’s pie if you are in Melbourne. Which I am. The rain outside + a good blanket + Shepherd’s pie + a good book = a great Wednesday night.
As much as I wish I could be one of those amazing people who just cooks – you know the ones, they just do it and make everything look so easy – I’m a recipe follower at heart. Shepherd’s pie is one of the things I am happy to just completely make up as I go, as it is practically impossible to screw up. But I tried really hard to focus tonight so I could relay this one back to you…
Shepherd’s Pie
*cook 1 onion chopped, 2 cloves of garlic finely diced, 2 chopped sticks of celery, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped eggplant and any other veges you want to add over medium-high heat for 5 mins
*add 500g of mince (or 1kg if you wish) and cook till browned
*meanwhile…peel and chop 5 potatoes, boil in salted water until tender but not overcooked, then mash with (lots if you’re like me) of cheese, milk and butter. Those with an intolerance to dairy turn away now and try not to think about this delicious, delicious part of the meal
*add 2 cups of your choice of stock and Worcestershire sauce, red wine, tomato sauce (or paste), salt and pepper to taste to the mince and veges, bring to the boil then reduce for 10-20 minutes
*pour mince mixture into a casserole dish, top with the mashed potato and grated cheese then cook at 200 degrees celcius for 10-20 minutes or until crispy
The wide time frames given above are because I know that I personally find it impossible to wait after a long day of work for food to cook, which is why I never come home to make risotto or a roast, and why my Shepherd’s Pie is always enjoyed un-crispy and with not-very-thick sauce. However, I understand that many people have more self restraint and can wait longer for a slightly better result. I admire you, you mysterious creatures.
The only next step after the ones listed above is to enjoy your food then snuggle into a blanket/a willing companion and turn your attention to a good book/the TV remote/a board game.
A Day In The Food 
sounds nice,will try it next week.How come you never cooked such tasty meals while living at home
Hmm that’s funny, I remember a quote from one Mike Harris that went something like “You do make a good shepherd’s pie though”