Shepherd's Pie (Welsh)

The Welsh version of shepherd's pie is made with lamb like the traditional Irish recipe, but it also includes leeks and cheese in the potatoe topping which adds a lovely flavour and texture.

1 lb ground lamb (450 g)
10 oz fresh lamb stock (275 mL)
1 Tbsp. tomato purée
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
3 oz carrot, peeled and chopped very small (75 g)
3 oz swede, peeled and chopped very small (75 g)
½ level tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 level Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached

Topping:
2 oz mature cheddar, coarsely grated (50 g)
2 medium leeks, cleaned and cut into ½" (1 cm) slices
2 lb Desirée or King Edward potatoes (900 g)
2 oz butter (50 g)
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked

You will also need a large lidded frying pan or saucepan, and a 7½" (19 cm) square baking dish, 2" (5 cm) deep, well-buttered.

Begin by taking the frying pan or saucepan and, over a medium flame, gently heat the olive oil.

Now fry the onions in the hot oil until they are tinged brown at the edges - about 5 minutes. You can also watch how to peel and chop onions in our Cookery School Video on the right. Add the chopped carrot and swede and cook for 5 minutes or so, then remove the vegetables and put them to one side. Now turn the heat up and brown the meat in batches, tossing it around to get it all nicely browned. You may find a wooden fork helpful here, as it helps to break up the mince. After that, give the meat a good seasoning of salt and pepper, then add the cooked vegetables, cinnamon, thyme and parsley.

Next, stir in the flour, which will soak up the juice, then gradually add the stock to the meat mixture until it is all incorporated. Finally, stir in the tomato purée. Now turn the heat right down, put the lid on the pan and let it cook gently for about 30 minutes.

While the meat is cooking you can make the topping. Peel the potatoes, cut them into even-sized pieces and place in a steamer fitted over a large pan of boiling water, sprinkle with some salt, put a lid on and steam until they're completely tender - about 25 minutes.

While this is happening, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, Gas Mark 6).

When the potatoes are done, drain off the water, return them to the saucepan, cover with a clean tea cloth to absorb the steam and leave them for about 5 minutes. Next, add the butter and mash them to a purée - the best way to do this is with an electric hand whisk. Don't be tempted to add any milk here, because the mashed potato on top of the pie needs to be firm.

Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. When the meat is ready, spoon it into the baking dish and level it out with the back of the spoon. After that, spread the mashed potato evenly all over. Now sprinkle the leeks on top of the potato, scatter the cheese over the leeks and bake the whole thing on a high shelf of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the top is crusty and golden.