Irish Shepherd's Pie with Beer

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 5 onions
• 6 carrots
• olive oil
• 600 g minced beef or lamb (organic)
• 8 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
• 1 bunch rosemary, fresh, finely chopped
• 1 bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 bunch mint, fresh, finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• Paprika powder
• 1 pinch(s) cinnamon powder
• 1 small can of kidney beans, almost no juice
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 4 tbsp flour
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 500 ml beer, Irish
• 450 g peas, young, frozen
• 2 kg potatoes, floury
• 75 g butter
• 200 g Cheddar cheese, freshly grated
• 2 egg yolks, whisked
• 5 tbsp milk
• Cayenne pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 25 minutes

A traditional Irish recipe.

This amount is sufficient for 2 casserole dishes. Halve the onions, then cut them into fifths, and then slice them into 3 mm thick pieces. Quarter the carrots lengthwise and then slice them into 7 mm thick pieces. Add the onions and carrots to a hot pan with oil and sauté until the onions are translucent, but do not allow them to brown. Remove the vegetables from the pan. Return the pan to the heat and fry the mince in a little oil, breaking it up into small pieces. When the meat is browned, add the garlic and fry until the liquid has evaporated. Reduce the heat if necessary. Wash and chop the herbs. Peel the potatoes, cut larger potatoes into pieces, and cook in plenty of salted water until soft. Add the sautéed vegetables and herbs to the meat and season with salt, pepper, paprika, and cinnamon. Add the kidney beans and stir in a generous splash of ketchup. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the meat, stir in, and cook everything for about 7 minutes. Slowly add the stock and beer and cook for about 7 minutes more, until the mixture becomes creamy. Stir occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the frozen peas. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. Spread evenly and flatten. Drain the potatoes, let them drain, and return them to the pot. Add the butter and cheese and mash. Whisk the egg yolk with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and a little milk and mix with the mashed potatoes. Carefully spoon the mashed potatoes onto the meat mixture and spread evenly. Either form small mounds or, more traditionally, draw stripes into them with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (fan oven) for 25-30 minutes, until the mashed potatoes begin to crisp in places. Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.