Shepherd's Pie

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Michael Cosgrove of Toronto, Ontario for sending in this classic food funny:

A doctor was addressing a large audience. "The material we put into our
stomachs is enough to have killed most of us sitting here, years ago.
Red meat is awful. Soft drinks corrode your stomach lining. Chinese Food
is loaded with MSG. High fat diets can be disastrous, and none of us
realizes the long-term harm caused by the germs in our drinking water.
But there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all
have, or will, eat it. Can anyone here tell me what food it is that
causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?"

After several seconds of quiet, a 75-year-old man in the front row
raised his hand, and softly said, "Wedding cake."

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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My British readers will be quick to point out that shepherd's pie is
made with lamb or mutton, and that when made with beef this dish is
properly known as cottage pie. Regardless of the meat used, the rest of
the world has come to know this dish as shepherd's pie. My version has a
South American twist with the addition of raisins and hard-cooked eggs,
ingredients typically found in the meat-filled pastries called empanadas.

Shepherd's Pie

1 lb (450 g) ground lamb or beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 15-oz (420 g) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) raisins
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
2 bay (laurel) leaves
1 tsp (5 ml) dried thyme
1 tsp (5 ml) dried marjoram
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 large potatoes
1 Tbs (15 ml) butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Saute the ground beef, onion, celery, and garlic in a large skillet over
moderate heat until the meat is browned. Drain the liquid and do not
return to the heat. Stir in the tomato sauce, raisins, hard-cooked eggs,
bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, and black pepper. Meanwhile, boil the
potatoes in salted water until soft and drain. Add the butter and
gradually add the milk while mashing the potatoes with an electric mixer
or hand masher - the consistency of the mashed potatoes should be firm.
Transfer the meat mixture to baking dish and spread the potatoes evenly
over the top. Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven until the potatoes
are lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Thu Jun 4 19:16:31 2009