my girlfriend loves shepherd's pie but im indifferent what can i have with it to make it more interesting?

Answer 1

cream corn inatead of regular corn
cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup

make gralic mashed potato instead of plain mashed

salt - huge fan of salt on shepards pie

Answer 2

I was also going to ask about corn - can't understand why so many people are going on about it when it doesn't belong in Shepherd's pie!!

The traditional recipe is for minced lamb and onions topped with mashed potato, or it can be done with beef when it's known as cottage pie. It can be a little bland, if not seasoned carefully. I add garlic and rosemary to the lamb when cooking shepherd's pie then add carrots chopped into very small pieces and make sure the potato is very crispy before serving. I add garlic and worcestershire sauce and tomato puree to beef, then peas for cottage pie. You can mix a lovely mature cheddar in with the cheese for added oomph too.

Answer 3

Buy an onion, a green bell pepper, a head of garlic, all purpose seasoning if you don't have it already (I like to use Adobo) a can of tomato sauce (the unseasoned small ones)

Start browing ground beef in a sauce pan or frying pan
Add 1 can of tomato sauce and sprinkle genrously with all purpose seasoning ( I use Adobo, about 1/2tbsp per one pound of beef)
Take half a medium onion
half a green bell pepper
5 cloves of garlic (crushed or minced)
You can mix these in a food processor or add them to your meat finely chopped
Cook meat til completely browned

You can make this your base to a delicious Sheppard's Pie by layering it with mashed potatos and corn. This is the perfect way to spice up a plain old boring sheppard's pie and I guarantee the both of you will love it


You can also use this as the base to the most amazing meat spaghetti sauce you have ever tried (sorry I know you don't want to hear that but just throwing it out there! lol) You can add a can of pink or red beans and serve with rice <--- It's absolutely amazing! You can use it as lasagna meat. You can make mexican tacos by adding this to taco shells and topping with lettuce and tomatos!

Or instead of cooking the meat as is you can make it into hamburger patties and have a new twist on an American Classic.

Have fun cooking & Enjoy ;-)


It's fast, easy and absolutely delicious!

Answer 4

I love having sweet potato mash on top of my shepherds pie, tasty and healthier than normal mash. Or you could mix the two. I like to some times add baked beans on the side rather than to the meat. Mozerella on top can add a nice texture to plain mash.

Answer 5

dont listen to them man.... use your sheperds pie as a veggie! its mainly mashed potatoe and corn! serve a plate with steak or a nice piece of chicken baked at 350 with your favorite spices, or a pork chop, even shaked and baked! then put the shepherds pie as a side dish! Its a good meal the shepherds pie so no need for a third side dish... some sorta red chilli chow on the side maybe? hope i helped!

Answer 6

Try making it with a tin of baked beans in the mince.
Try a sauce mix - I use one by erin for shepherds pie.
Try making it with different meats - I know they should be called something different (like cottage pie for beef), but minced turkey, minced pork, minced lamb, all have different tastes.
Have you tried grating cheese on the top? Lovely!!!

Answer 7

Emeril Lagasse makes every ordinary dish more exciting.
SHEPHERD'S PIE from Emeril Live
Ingredients needed:

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 pound chopped lamb shoulder or lamb fillet or ground beef
1 cup chopped yellow onions
2 carrots, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 ounces button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/4 cups lamb or beef stock
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound potatoes
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup white cheddar, grated

Lightly grease a 6-cup baking dish and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the lamb and cook until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and bay leaf, and cook, stirring, until their liquid is almost all gone, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until starting to color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually add the stock and Worcestershire sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with salted water by 1-inch. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and return to the pot. Over low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and nutmeg, and mash to incorporate. Add the heavy cream and mix well. Remove from the heat.

Remove the pot with the meat from the heat. Remove the bay leaf. Spoon into the prepared dish and top with the mashed potatoes, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake until browned and bubbly on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Answer 8

Add some chilli, cumin and tomato ketchup to the mince, then put a layer of carrots and swede over the mince and then mash on the top of that, then when its baked and the potatoes are nice and crisp sprinkle it with grated cheese of your choice and put it under the grill until its hot and bubbling!

Answer 9

Whoa, I read the other answers and I have never had corn in my shepard's pie. My receipe just consist of potatoes, bell peppers, onion, salt n pepper, ground beef and American cheese. You can have a veggie on the side like green beans, sweet peas or corn.

Answer 10

You could add some worcestershire sauce to the meat to give more of a spicy kick and serve with a green salad with a nice dressing - say lemon and garlic.

Answer 11

add some nice Pancetta (italian bacon bits) or Lardons (french bacon bits) or some diced smoked bacon (English pancetta/lardons) when cooking off the meat. The smoky flavour and texture is a perfect complement to the mince. Otherwise its tabasco and ketchup combo