Shepherd's Pie

Posted Fri, 03/24/06

 

This was lunch today:

 

Shepherd's Pie

Canada: Pate Chinois

England: Cottage Pie

 

1 LB lean hamburger

1/2 onion, peeled & minced

1 can cream corn

3 to 4 potatoes, cooked, skinned & mashed

1/3 C milk

2 TBS butter

Salt & black pepper to taste

1/2 C cheddar cheese, grated

 

Fry the hamburger with the minced onion in a skillet; drain. Spread cooked hamburger and onion evenly on the bottom of a greased baking dish. Pour the creamed corn on top, spreading evenly. Mash the potatoes using the milk, butter, salt and black pepper. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the dish, similar to icing a cake. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of the potatoes. Bake covered with foil at 350-degrees F until heated through and cheese is melted. Cut into squares and serve.

 

Shenanchie's Note: Shepherd's Pie is one of the only recipes at Food Fare which appears under two country categories: Canada and England. It has been a Canadian favorite as long as memory serves. My mother was born and raised in Timmins, Ontario, where Pate Chinois (as it was known, although it literally translates to "Chinese Pie") was a common meal from her childhood. The English version is known as Shepherd's Pie or Cottage Pie, which often contains other ingredients such as green beans in place of the kernel corn, mutton or pork in place of the beef, and breadcrumbs as a topping rather than cheese. Further, the vegetarian equivalent (referred to as "Shepherdless Pie") uses chickpeas, lentils, soya and meat substitutes such as tofu.

Some people use green beans rather than creamed corn, but I prefer the taste of the corn and the homemade mashed potatoes (Yukon Gold). I also added Lawry's Seasoned Salt to the ground beef, which is not included in the original recipe.

 

*Related blog post: Shepherd's Fare (09/29/04).

 

Blog Tags: Casseroles

 

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