A recipe worth sharing

With wild winds and rain lashing the State this week it’s time to rug up, hunker down and settle in with some comfort food.

At Anglicare, we are continuing to support people struggling with financial difficulties, unemployment and mental health challenges.

Gifts to our 2021 Winter Appeal will be used to assist with emergency accommodation, provide nutritious food for families, and keep people warm during the colder months.

Food for thought

At Bilton Lodge in Claremont, north of Hobart, we provide residents with three meals a day that are packed with nutrition. One of the most popular recipes to come out of the kitchen is Shepherd’s Pie. Try the recipe and let us know what you think!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 5-6 people

Ingredients
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
1 carrot
1 rib celery
3/4 tsp each dried thyme and rosemary
750g ground mince (lamb or beef)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups beef stock/broth
1/2 cup red wine
1 beef bouillon cube
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 dried bay leaves
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 cup frozen peas

Mashed Potato
1.2kg potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes
2/3 cup milk
2 tbsp butter

Crust
2-3 tbsp grated parmesan
2 tbsp butter
Fresh thyme leaves (optional garnish)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Then add carrots, celery, thyme and rosemary. Cook for 3 minutes or until softened and sweet.
2. Turn heat up to high. Add lamb or beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned.
3. Add flour and mix in. Add tomato paste, broth, red wine, bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir well.
4. Bring to simmer, then turn down heat so it is simmering rapidly (medium heat). Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces down to a thick gravy consistency.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer Filling to 1.5 litre pie baking dish. Stir through peas. Cover, then refrigerate to cool for 1 – 2 hours or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 180C.
7. Cook potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain then return to pot on turned off stove. Allow to steam dry for 30 seconds.
8. Add butter and mash until melted, then add milk, salt and pepper. Mash until it’s soft and smooth (e.g. spreadable), adjusting with a touch more milk if required.
9. Spread mash onto pie, use a fork to draw squiggles over the surface. Sprinkle with parmesan, drizzle with butter.
10. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until deep golden on top and bubbling on the edges. Stick a knife into the middle to ensure it is piping hot.
11. Stand for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with fresh thyme leaves if desired.

Donating is simple.

You can donate over the phone on 1800 243 232. Please have your credit card details handy.

You can visit our website by clicking here.

Or you might prefer to send us a cheque or a money order. Our postal address is GPO Box 1620 Hobart TAS 7001.

Our parish coordinator, Margaret Savage, is taking donations of food items. If you’d like to make this kind of contribution, please contact her at m.savage@staging-anglicare.kingsdigital.dev. We ask that you make sure that your donations are non-perishable, well within their use-by date and are able to be opened without a can opener.

Thank you from all of us at Anglicare.