Shepard's Pie - done my way

Its been a while since I last posted and I always feel it tugging at the back of my mind. Suffice to say I have been a busy bee with a new study and trying to figure out what's next.

My hubby also noticed my lack of cooking creativity so he kindly gave me a new cook book for inspiration. It seems that the cooking block has been loosened. Although I fear for myself and my own expectations that I won't be posting as often as I wish I could.

Thank you all for your patience, all of you, whom I don't even know, read my blog.

Here is a seasonal dinner recipe, a request given by my hubby - Shepard's Pie done my way.

This is by far THE BEST Shepard's pie I have ever made. Deep in flavors, creamy and full of texture all at the same time. I have to pat myself on my back for this one, I am proud. 

I replaced regular potatoes for sweet potatoes & rutabaga or swede or turnip, which ever you prefer to call it. Basically this last mentioned is a root veggie, white & purple with a yellowish color inside. It has a very distinct flavor. Some say you either hate rutabaga or love it..So if you haven't tried it yet, give it a go, its the perfect season for it!

Apparently these "swedes" are high in vitamin C.

I prefer using lambs mince for shepard's pie but beef is also fine. I can only guess that a veggie type mince could also do well. 

This recipe feeds 3 people, or 2 and leaves lunch for 1. 

2 medium sized sweet potatoes

1/3 of a 1kg swede

350 grams mince 

2 dl peas (I used frozen)

1 medium sized parsnip

1 medium sized carrot

1/2 red or yellow onion 

1,5 dl dry white wine

2 tbsp butter 

1/2 beef stock cube

salt & pepper

pinch of nutmeg

2 garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

1. Pre heat your oven to 180C.
2. Peel the swede & sweet potatoes, chop into cubes and boil till you can stick a fork through easily*.
3. Chop the onion into small cubes as well as the peeled carrot & parsnip but keep separated.
4. Heat a pan and add the onions for half a minute, they just need to begin to sweat i.e., begin to soften and get a slight shine (I didn't need to use any oil but if the onions stick add a tiny bit. The meat will add lots of grease). 
5.  Add the mince, fry till halfway brown then add the carrot, parsnip & peas (my peas were still semi frozen and this didn't effect anything). Continue to fry. 
6. Add the bay leaf, season, continue to fry. 
7. Crumble the stock cube into the pan. Pour in the wine, allow the alcohol to evaporate by letting the liquid simmer, not boil. Give this process 1-2min, while stirring occasionally. Taste, season if needed. Make sure the stock cube has dissolved, if not add a tbsp of water to allow it to do so. 
8. Mash the potatoes & swede, adding the butter and seasoning including the nutmeg. 
9. Find yourself a suitable oven pan to essemble all into, oven proof. First add the meat then the mash ontop. 
10. I like to use a fork to score into the mash creating ripples that will brown and burn slightly. up to you. Just make sure the mash covers all the meat. 
11. Cook in the oven for approx 40min. 

* A chef recently told me that to make a good mash is to add the butter and mash while the potatoes/veggies are still warm. Perhaps this is what most of you do but I sometimes added it after it had all started to cool. I was also told adding a squeeze of lemon lifts the flavors.