Ben Shephard’s ‘Shepherd’s Pie’

Main courseServes 6

If you lack confidence in the kitchen, the idea of making a meal from scratch may seem daunting and it would be easy to rely on ready meals and takeaways. But there are lots of tasty dishes that are easy to make at home without having to spend hours in the kitchen. Ben Shephard and Edwina Currie have teamed up with Red Tractor beef and lamb for this year's 5by25 campaign. They are on a mission to get young people cooking at least five basic dishes from memory by the age of 25. Ben and Edwina are also going head-to-head to see who can get the most people cooking and mastering their signature lamb dish – it's Edwina's Curry vs. Ben's Shepherd's Pie! Thankfully, shepherd's pie is really simple to make and is full of fresh ingredients. It takes just 10 minutes to prepare and is always a winner with friends and family. Ben has added his own twist to this classic dish which gives it an extra kick, so watch our video for Ben's useful hints and tips for creating this traditional dish with a twist. 1. Peel and finely chop the onion and carrot. 2. Peel and chop the potatoes into medium chunks. 3. If using fresh rosemary, remove the leaves from the rosemary stalk. Discard the stalk and finely chop the leaves. 4. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and carrot until soft but not coloured. 5. Add the mince, in batches and cook for 5 minutes until brown on a moderate heat, turning frequently and mashing any large lumps of mince with the back of a wooden spoon. Using a teaspoon remove half the excess oil and put in the mug. Set aside to dispose later. Stir the peas into the mince mixture. 6. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the ketchup, brown or Worcestershire sauce, rosemary (if used), lamb stock cube and sweet chilli sauce. Season. Bring to the boil (you should see rapid bubbling on the surface of the water), reduce the heat and simmer (gentle bubbles on the surface) for 20 minutes. 7. Meanwhile prepare the potato topping. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with boiling water, turn up the heat and bring to the boil (you should see rapid bubbling on the surface of the water). 8. Turn down the heat to low, cover and simmer (gentle bubbles on the surface) for 20-25 minutes. Drain and mash together with the milk and butter, margarine or low fat spread. Season, if required. 9. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4-5, 180-190°C, 350-375°F. 10. Spoon the meat filling into a 1.7L/3pint ovenproof dish and using a fork spread the potato over the top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are brown.

Ingredients

675g lean or extra lean lamb mince

1 medium onion

1 large carrot

2 teaspoons oil (any will do)

100g green peas (fresh, frozen or canned – but drain these)

3 dessertspoons plain flour

3 dessertspoons tomato puree or ketchup

3 dessertspoons brown or Worcestershire sauce

3 dessertspoons fresh rosemary (optional). Alternatively 2tsps dried mixed herbs

Method