Shepherd’s Pie with Cheesy Watercress Mash

 

I adore Shepherd’s Pie and love it topped with plain potato, cheesy potato, cauliflower mash, a swede mixture and umpteen other variations but this is a new twist that I think works particularly well. The flavoursome lamb mixture (although you can use beef or Quorn mince for a vegetarian option)

is mixed with chopped watercress and the potato topping mixture is mixed with cheese and more watercress to produce a golden brown crust flecked with peppery green pieces of cress.

 

It is just the thing for when the temperature drops and you fancy some warming, comforting food that just needs a simple vegetable or salad accompaniment. It also freezes brilliantly so ideal to make in double quantities for a day when you don’t feel like or don’t have the time to cook from scratch.

 

SHEPHERD’S PIE WITH CHEESY WATERCRESS MASH

Ingredients

METRIC/US

low-fat cooking spray or mist

1 onion, finely chopped

1 celery stick/stalk, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

500 h/1 lb extra-lean minced/ground lamb

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

400 g/14 oz can chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ x 85 g/3 oz bag watercress, chopped

Topping:

1 kg/2¼ lb Desirée or other potato variety suitable for mashing, peeled

2 tbsp fat-free yogurt

50 g/½ cup grated low-fat Cheddar cheese

½ x 85 g/3 oz bag watercress, chopped

 

Method

1.  Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F/gas 6.
2.  Generously spritz a non-stick pan with low-fat cooking spray or mist. Heat, add the onion, celery and carrot and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3.  Add the lamb to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes until browned. Drain off any excess fat then return the vegetable mixture. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme and salt and pepper to taste, mixing well. Simmer for 20 minutes until reduced then stir in the watercress.
4.  Meanwhile, to make the topping, cut the potatoes into even-sized chunks and cook in boiling, salted water for 20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with the yogurt and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in half of the cheese and the watercress.
5.  Spoon the lamb into a shallow ovenproof dish and top with the mash. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Cook in the oven for about 30 minutes until golden.

 

SERVES 4

WLS PORTION: ½

V suitable for Vegetarians if using Quorn mince

 

CALORIES PER PORTION: 462

PROTEIN: 43g

CARBOHYDRATE: 51.2g

FAT: 9.5g

 

Image courtesy of www.watercress.co.uk