A real British classic, this recipe for Shepherd’s Pie is simply delicious. It has a rich lamb and vegetable filling, making the most of the best of British crop. For a tasty twist, our recipe uses a creamy leek and potato topping which the whole family is sure to love. Pick up your vegetables from our Greengrocers.

Ready in: 90 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

400g lamb mince
3 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
2 medium carrots, diced
400g can of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
500ml beef stock
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
5 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp cold water
1 tsp mint sauce

For the topping
750g potatoes
25g butter
2 leeks, trimmed and cut into 1cm rounds
150g half-fat crème fraiche

Method

1. To make the meat filling, place a large non-stick saucepan over a medium heat. Add the lamb mince and cook it with the onions, celery, carrots and rosemary until the meat is lightly browned, breaking the meat up as it cooked.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and mint sauce. Season well with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, make the potato topping. Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters. Put them in a large saucepan and fill with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the potatoes are very tender. Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan and add the leeks, then sauté in the butter until softened, stirring often to prevent them catching. Drain the potatoes then tip them back into the pan. Mash the potatoes with some seasoning and the crème fraiche. Stir in the leeks and put aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 220C. When the lamb has been simmering for 40 minutes, mix the cornflour with the cold water to make a smooth paste. Stir this into the lamb and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring often. The sauce should now have a nice thick consistency.

5. Pour the lamb mixture into a large but shallow ovenproof dish. Top with the mash, being careful to spoon all the mixture around the dish. Starting from the edges into the middle, spread out and fluff up the potato with a fork.

6. Bake for 30 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling.