Mmm… shepherd’s pie, the ideal warming winter food! We come across lots of shepherd’s pie recipes that list ground/minced beef as an ingredient… yet the word ‘shepherd’ is a clear indication that there should be some lamb in there somewhere! The ‘beefy’ version is actually cottage pie – and, in our opinion, is not as tasty as a true shepherd’s pie!
This recipe uses sweet potato as well as white – it’s not a traditional shepherd’s pie ingredient, but adds some valuable nutrients for baby. It also includes a hidden extra – mashed cauliflower in the topping! Your little one probably won’t even notice it’s there – yet all these extra veggies elevate this dish from a stodgy tummy filler to a really nutritious treat!
Here’s what you’ll need to make Baby’s Shepherd’s Pie
olive oil
1 lb minced lamb (or even leftover roasted lamb chopped finely)
1 onion, chopped finely
1 garlic clove (optional), chopped finely
1 carrot (peeled if not organic) and chopped finely
1 courgette/zucchini, chopped finely
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
14 oz can of chopped tomatoes
8 oz white potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
8 oz sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
8 oz cauliflower florets
1 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp milk (use breast milk or formula if you prefer)
2 oz grated Cheddar cheese
Pre heat the oven to 360 deg F (180 deg C).
Fry the lamb in the olive oil in a heavy frying pan/skillet until light brown, then drain. Set the lamb aside.
Next, gently fry the onion, garlic, carrot and courgette until the veggies are tender (around 10 mins).
Stir in the canned tomatoes and the fresh parsley, then pour in 3 fl oz (3/8 cup) of water.
Add the lamb back to the pan and simmer for 20 mins.
Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to boiling point. Add the white and sweet potatoes and cook for 10 mins. Add the cauliflower florets and cook for around a further 5 mins, until all the vegetables are tender. Drain well.
Mash the potatoes together with the cauliflower, adding the milk and butter as you do so, until smooth.
Spoon the meat mixture into an oven dish (or use small dishes to make individual shepherd’s pies). Pile the mashed potato mixture on top and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for around 30 mins, until golden.
A great time-saver is to use this recipe to make individual shepherd’s pies, then freeze the unused ones for future use!