Caroline's Spicy Shepherd's Pie

A healthy alternative to a comforting shepherd's pie

INGREDIENTS

Meat base

  • 500 g minced goat
  • 1 tbsp oil (coconut or ghee if you have it, if not any vegetable oil will do)
  • 1 large onion, chopped fine
  • 2 large garlic cloves (or more to taste) very thinly sliced
  • 1 to 2 in piece of fresh Ginger, peeled and chopped really small
  • 2 generous tbsp of hot curry powder (or medium if you prefer milder food)
  • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
  • Frozen peas to taste, unfrozen in hot water

 

Topping

  • Equal quantities parsnip and potato to give a 1 ½ to 2 in top to your dish, probably about 400g each (can also be good with more parsnip than potato)
  • 2tsp turmeric
  • Green chilli, chopped small
  • Juice ½ small lemon
  • Handful coriander leaves chopped

 

Method

 

  1. Heat oil in an oven proof pan that you wish to serve the meal in (it should be deep enough to add the topping and small enough that the meat sauce is not spread too thinly).

  2. Add onion and cook until soft on medium heat.

  3. Add garlic, ginger and curry powder, stir well and cook until smell rises.

  4. Turn up heat add meat and brown stirring to prevent sticking and break up any lumps. Once brown add tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. (The mixture does not need to be too liquid or the topping goes runny.)

  5. Peel the parsnips and potatoes and cut into 1 in chunks. Put into enough cold water to cover add a little salt and the turmeric. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes only (you want the veg firm).

  6. Drain and mash, stir in the chilli, lemon juice and coriander. (Mash can be quite rough, seems to work best with some small lumps)

  7. Put the vegetable mix evenly on top of the meat and pea mix and ruffle the surface with a fork.

  8. Bake for 20 minutes until the top is crispy.

Serve with tomato ketchup.