Shepherd's pie recipe
Tamako Sakamoto | Yomiuri Shimbun | Mon Aug 6 2012
August 6, 2012
At the beginning of February, Mariko, a young female member of our church, visited my family for dinner.
While eating, we started to talk about her future husband. Suddenly, my 16-year-old daughter mentioned a young male member of the same church, and asked, "What about Junya?" Mariko looked a little upset, kept chewing her food, and did not reply.
My thinking was that Mariko didn't want to seem rude by saying "No" too quickly. She is very sweet-hearted and considerate of other people; for sure, I thought, she did not want to offend anybody.
Wanting to help, I said: "Definitely not. He isn't your type, is he?" and "You are still young, so you do not have to hurry. Take your time and meet many people."
Mariko silently nodded and we kept talking about other topics until very late at night. On Sunday, only a few days later, my daughter and I went to church as usual. Then, we heard an unbelievable announcement. Can you guess?
Mariko was going to be engaged to Junya, and was to marry him in June! My daughter kept laughing at me, and of course, I was totally at a loss for words.
Speaking honestly, Junya was very nice, and I would have heartily celebrated, had I known about their plans. It was too late to regret my improper remark.
Well, on that night when I unwittingly spoke about her future husband over dinner, I served her shepherd's pie, a hearty, filling dish that is very good to serve when you don't know how many people will join you.
It's easy to cook and can be enjoyed by small children, the elderly and everyone in between, because it is very tender. (You have to be careful if you notice somebody chewing in silence for a length of time.)
The last time I met Mariko, she requested my recipe. I will give her the recipe of this unforgettable casserole dish that gave me such an important lesson. The June bride was beautiful, and the tall, shyly smiling bridegroom looked very happy, too. I really felt that they were a very well-matched couple.
Shepherd's pie
Ingredients:
2 onions
1 kg ground beef and pork mixture
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 kg potatoes
20 grams butter
100 ml milk
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water
Ketchup
Method:
1. Chop onion. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Stir-fry onion for 3-4 minutes until it becomes semitransparent. Add ground meat and cook 5 minutes until heated through. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
2. Peel potatoes and cut into small pieces. Put potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook covered for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
3. Mash potatoes and add butter while hot. Add milk and mix well. Season with one teaspoon salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 200 C.
4. Put meat and onion mixture in a heatproof container. Smooth the surface. Place mashed potato on top and cover the ground meat mixture. Smooth the surface with hands.
5. In a small cup, combine egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water. Brush the surface with egg mixture.
6. In the preheated oven bake shepherd's pie for 15-20 minutes. Serve with ketchup.