The ritual of Shepard’s Pie is critical to its enjoyment
As is a common theme on Feasting Hearts, I met Tom when we were both working in North Lebanon years back. He formed part of a fundamental crew of comfort, a group of colleagues who even in spite of close living and working arrangements, actually got on spectacularly well. Incredibly friendly, though with a hint of ubiquitous British reserve, Tom was and continues to be, one of the most professionally capable persons I know. A wizard with numbers, as you will see below, he also has a marvellous way with words.
To read Tom’s story is to feel like you have a seat at the table. You can anticipate the coordinated movement of a family meal - passing along the plates, requesting someone to share the gravy when they are done, and having your glass generously topped off. No need to rush through dinner. There are no plans afterwards other than to continue the casual chat and digest with a tea.
This is a story of homecomings, humble ceremony, and pie.
Tom and Mama H. in Belgium, circa 2014
One of my favourite meals is my Mum’s Shepard’s Pie. I have no idea when I first tasted it, but I can’t remember a time it wasn’t something we had at home. I don’t know where the recipe came from, and I don’t want to. The important thing is that it’s my Mum’s.
My job has meant I have traveled a lot for work, and I’ve had the privilege to try some incredible (and somewhat less credible) food. However, I’ve never found anything that I could substitute for this dish. The warm, creamy potato – slightly crisp on the top with a sprinkle of cheese, the rich mince in gravy. It’s what I’d always look forward to when coming home after months away. It’s a warming, hearty dish – perfect on a cold day in winter, but so good you still want to eat it in the middle of summer.
The ritual of Shepard’s Pie is critical to its enjoyment. Whoever is serving must warn others that the plates are very hot. It should be served with peas, cooked best when they accidentally boil over on the hob. It is necessary to express concern if one of the other diners looks like they might use too much seasoning. A toast should be made, to being able to be together, and to those not present. A pre recorded episode of Pointless (a British quiz show) will be started, and then dining can begin. It is only a matter of time until UNESCO recognises this process as part of their Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage along with Turkish coffee culture and Tradition and the Art of Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’.
What really separates this Shepard’s Pie from other inferior versions is it uses beef rather than lamb. Most people would claim that makes it cottage pie, but I know the truth.
Mum’s Welcome Home Pie
Ingredients
Filling
1lb of minced beef
1 onion chopped finely
1 carrot grated or in ribbons using a peeler
2 beef stock cubes
1 bay leaf
Red wine (optional)
Salt and pepper
Beef gravy granules
Topping
1lb of potatoes (more if you like a thicker layer of mash) cut into small pieces
2oz butter
Milk
Salt
Grated cheese (optional)
Method
Put the mince in a frying pan over a medium/high heat and break it up with a spatula stirring until it is slightly browned.
Add the chopped onion and stir until it is translucent.
Add the carrots and stir for a couple of minutes until all mixed together.
Dissolve the stock cubes in a cup of boiling water and add to the pan.
Add the red wine if using until the mixture is nearly covered. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.
Add the bay leaf, salt and pepper and simmer for 45min to an hour. Stir occasionally.
Then add the gravy granules to thicken the mixture if needed.
Cook the potatoes until soft then drain.
Add the butter and a little milk and mash with a fork or masher(I use a whisk which produces a smoother texture)
Season to taste.
Put the meat mixture in a casserole/oven proof dish and cover with the mash.
Sprinkle the cheese over the mash.
Put in the oven at 180C fan oven and cook for 45 minutes till slightly coloured on top.
Share with loved ones according to the meal time description above - a warning of hot plates, green sweet peas, perhaps some light hearted television on in the background.