Trailer Park Shepherd's Pie
Adapted from Mosh Potatoes, published by Allen & Unwin $29.95
1 hour preparation
1 hour cooking
Serves... probably a hungry band
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1 small onion, chopped
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14 tablespoons or 210grams or 1 and 3/4 sticks butter
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550g beef mince
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410g tin of chopped tomatoes or 2x 8 oz cans tomato sauce
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1.5 cups frozen mixed vegetables
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40 ounce /1.2 litre beer
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salt and pepper
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Tabasco sauce to taste
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8-10 medium red skinned potatoes
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1.5 cups milk
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1/2 cup sour cream
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1 1/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
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1 garlic clove, finely dicedf
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1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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1/4 cup breadcrumbs
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2 cups biscuit mix* If you don't have this, use the recipe below
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Nonstick cooking spray
For scone or "biscuit" topping if you aren't using a pre made biscuit mix. Recipe from the QVB tea room.
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450g/16ozs self raising flour
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1 tablespoon baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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110g/3.4ozs unsalted butter at room temperature but not too soft
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310ml/10.5 fl ozs. buttermilk
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2/3 cup water
You will also need a baking dish about 9x13 inches in dimension
Beef layer
Saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the ground beef and brown. Then add the tomato sauce, vegetables and 1/4 cup of the beer (only 1/4 cup, not the whole thing!). Add Tabasco salt and pepper to taste.
Potato layer
Peel and slice the potatoes 1/4 inch thick. Cook in boiling, salted water for approximately 15 minutes until fork tender. Mash the potatoes or pass it through a potato ricer until moderately smooth. Heat and add 1/2 cup of the milk, following 1 whole stick of butter (120grams or 4 tablespoons), the sour cream and the mozzarella. Add salt, pepper and garlic and combine. If it is too thick, add more hot milk.
Biscuit layer
Combine the biscuit mix and the remaining 1 cup of milk. The mix should be thinner than normal biscuit mix but not runny.
OR if you are using the recipe above:
Crumb together all dry ingredients with butter. Use buttermilk and water to combine.
To assemble
Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Or as the recipe says "Light the pilot on the trailer home oven.
Spray a 9x13inch baking pan or similar casserole with non stick cooking spray. Layer with the mashed potatoes. Then spread the meat vegetables on top. Then lastly spread over with the biscuit batter over the meat.
Melt the remaining four tablespoons/60g/1/2 stick of butter and drizzle over the top. Yes really, trust me, it will be good. And you will feel like Paula Deen too.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Meanwhile combine the parmesan cheese with the breadcrumbs and once the time is up remove from the oven and sprinkle this over the golden brown top and return to the oven for another five minutes untilt he cheese is melted and starting to brown and crisp.
If sober, drink the remainder of the beer.
Mosh Potatoes is published by Allen & Unwin RRP $29.95