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I'll preface this by saying I make a shepherd's pie based on Gordon Ramsey's recipe. Whether it is "traditional" or not, I don't know but generally speaking the sauce in the meat is a red wine reduction. Nice flavor.
Where I'm going with this...
Last night the wife and I went out to dinner and the restaurant had some St. Patty's specials, one was Shepherd's Pie (it was really cottage pie, but I'm not here to split hairs). The wife ordered it and it was quite different than the one I make, however we both really liked it. The difference here was that they used ground sirloin, peas and finely diced carrots in a gravy, topped with mashed potatoes. The gravy is what I'm after here. It was beige in color, about the color of turkey gravy. I don't know what the base of the gravy was because it definitely was not the beefy, dark brown beef gravy one would expect. And where it was a St. Patty's special I wasn't sure if Ireland has their own version of shepherd's pie that this was supposed to be akin to.
So I'm turning to the good food folks of C-D to see if anyone makes shepherd's/cottage pie with a light gravy base. I did some searching online and there are recipes with gravy but it is definitely beef gravy. I assume the restaurant used a lighter gravy to mimic the lighter taste of lamb, however the menu definitely had sirloin in the description.
I buy Bisto gravy mix from World market. When I make beef shepherds pie, I cook the carrots in a container with water, (microwave)before adding them to the meat mix. I use the carrot water for the gravy with Bisto. I find this gives a good flavor. Bisto is a Uk gravy mix.
Without a flavor profile, my best guess would be that they used a pork gravy, possibly with added roux and herbs -
rosemary?. I've never seen lamb gravy, which could be off-putting to many. A restaurant is much more likely to go with somewhat familiar flavors anyway.
Without a flavor profile, my best guess would be that they used a pork gravy, possibly with added roux and herbs -
rosemary?. I've never seen lamb gravy, which could be off-putting to many. A restaurant is much more likely to go with somewhat familiar flavors anyway.
Yeah I agree, which is why I'm having trouble placing what it is. It definitely wasn't beef gravy - well like the commercially available beef gravy with an "in your face" beef taste.
Perhaps it was homemade with the drippings from cooking the beef and chicken stock (or something light) instead of beef stock being used.
Edited to add, this was pub type food, it wasn't a gourmet restaurant.
The Bisto gravy mix I use is not beefy, it is more of a veggie flavor, with a hint of beef. If I could not get Bisto, I would make a gravy with some vegetable bouillon & make a roux, & also use the carrot water, it gives a good flavor. Good shepherds pie, should always have gravy, imo. Also seasoned with lots of onions.
Mine is a made up version that I created and everyone loves it. 2 Lbs. of ground beef, pork and veal. I break up the meat using a spatula and cook until no longer pink. Peas, carrots, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, onion powder, 1/4 cup ketchup and 2 cartons of McCormick brown gravy. Pour into a casserole dish. The I peel and boil potatoes until soft. drain, add butter salt, milk or half and half and mashed until smooth and creamy. Spread mashed potatoes on top of the meat. Sprinkle paprika on top and bake on 350 for 30 minutes.
It's a restaurant. It is probably either a canned gravy, or more likely a gravy mix made for restaurants and caterers. Maybe one of the gravy mixes made by Trio.
My shepherd's pie (cottage pie) has beef gravy, but it isn't all that dark, I brown my burger and the gravy is made from the drippings, but I am not getting that dark color because I am not roasting or caramelizing the beef and I do not add any bouillon or other additives that would darken the color like Kitchen Bouquet.
I do a standard, browned burger with gravy and veggies topped with mashed potatoes. I consider this to be a fast dish for something quick and easy and I use instant mashed potatoes.
I cook my shepherd's pie the way my mother learned it from her mother who grew up in Northumberland. It is different from any other recipe that I've seen because the beef is boiled instead of browned.
I put the ground beef, minced onions and diced carrots in just enough water to cover once it's cooked down. It's heavily seasoned with salt and pepper. My mother sometimes uses Kitchen Bouquet to brown it. I have usually just let it brown naturally and scrape the brown off the bottom until it's dark enough. Sometimes I'll add some beef base to add some color and depth to it. Once the carrots are nearly done, I'll add the peas. Then I make a slurry of flour with cold water added. I turn off the fire and let it stop simmering before I stir in the slurry quickly to avoid lumps. Once it's added, I turn the heat back up to thicken the base and let the flour cook through completely. I mash the potatoes and cover the base. Usually I put shredded cheese on the top before putting it in the oven to brown.
It's one of my family's comfort foods, especially on winter nights. I need to cook it one more time before it gets too hot to turn on the oven!
Am I the only one who uses corn instead of peas and carrots?
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