Shepherd's Pie

This was one of my favorite dishes when my mom used to make this growing up.  Its surprisingly easy, I find that the trick is to make sure that the meat mixture and mashed potatoes are both seasoned.  I like to add grated Cheddar cheese to the top during the last 10 minutes of baking and allow it to get crispy.

Ingredients

For meat mixture:
half pound ground meat (I used half lamb and half beef)
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrots, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
couple dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
bay leaf
dash of ground allspice
1 bottle of dark beer (I used Guinness)
salt and pepper to taste

For potato mixture;
5-6 medium sized potatoes, cubed and boiled until soft
1/3 stick of butter
half a container of sour cream
milk (add until you have a creamy texture)
halt a cup of grated vintage cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Start with browning your meat, when brown, drain all but a bit of the fat.  In the remaining fat, brown the onion, carrot, garlic and tomatoes.  Then add the meat, bay leaf, Allspice, Worcestershire Sauce and dark beer.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for about an hour or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the remaining liquid becomes like a gravy.  Pour this mixture into the bottom of a medium-sized baking dish.  In the meantime, peal and boil the potatoes.  When they are tender enough, drain the water and mash.  Mix with butter, sour cream, cheese and milk until you have a smooth consistency.  Preheat oven to 350F (175C).  Then use a spatula and cover the meat, ensuring that the top is nice and smooth.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Then grate a little extra cheese, after the 20 minutes have past, take this cheese and place over top of the mashed potatoes and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese browns lightly on the top.  Take out of the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Lamb Goulash with Green Beans (Lammgulasch mit grünen Bohnen)

I found this recipe in a cookbook my boyfriend bought for me called Das Thüringen Kochbuch.  I've never made goulash with lamb before but figured I've give it a try.  Green beans were in great abundance at the market and figured it was a perfect match.

Ingredients:
1 lb Lamb meat (cut from Shoulder, without bone)
1/2 lb. fresh green beans
6 potatoes
1 carrot
2 onions
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon of each, savory, rosemary and thyme
butter for saute
1.5 Liters broth (instant or homemade)
salt and pepper

1. Wash the meat, dry with paper towels and cut into mouth-sized pieces.  Wash the beans and snip the ends and cut into pieces that will easily fit a spoon.  Wash and peel the potatoes.  Carrots grate and set aside.  Peel and chop the onions.  Mince the garlic.

2.  In a dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter in a pan.  Add the meat and brown on each side.  Add the onions and garlic and continue sauteeing.  Cover with the broth.  Cover and let cook on middle heat for 50 minutes.

3.  Then add the beans and the herbs (no salt at this point) and continue cooking for 10 minutes.  Then add the grated carrots and the potatoes and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Serve warm.  The soup can also be garnished with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream.