Issue 059 - Reflect Magazine

08 Seasonal Recipe
09
A Seasonal Delight
For January
by Neil Walker
The parties are over, the decorations are down and after gorging myself silly over
the last few weeks of December, I’m ready to shed a few pounds and eat healthy - at
least for the first few weeks of January!
I eat a lot of root vegetables at this time of the year, to begin the year with a healthy
kick and I find seasonal cooking gives me a real buzz. Root vegetables just feel right
in January - that sweet edge to parsnips, swedes and turnips is just what I need to
comfort me when the weather is hideous outside.
This shepherd’s pie is comfort food at the max and perfect for the bleak mid-winter
month of January. I’ve substituted the traditional mashed potato topping for a root
vegetable mash and it works perfectly and boosts your five-a-day. Don’t ask me
why but you HAVE to use ground white pepper in the mash; it just tastes right (my
mother and grandmother always used it in their mashed carrot and swede).
Shepherd’s Pie - serves 4 (with a bit leftover for seconds)
Pre-heat your oven to gas mark 6 (200°C)
Ingredients: for the mash
1 medium swede
2 carrots
2 turnips
2 parsnips
2 medium potatoes
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 pint milk
1 pint water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
Method
1. In a medium pan bring the milk, water, rosemary and bay leaves to simmering
point.
2. Meanwhile peel and roughly chop veg (making the swede a bit smaller than
the rest).
3. Add to the liquid and simmer for 20 minutes until all vegetables are soft.
4. Remove rosemary twigs, bay and drain in a sieve. Leave to stand for 5
minutes then return to the pan, add the seasoning and mash. Place to one side,
uncovered.
Ingredients: for the lamb mix
450g lean minced lamb
1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and roughly diced
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
1 leek, finely sliced
1 tbsp Worcester sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
360ml lamb stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
1. Heat a large frying pan until smoking then add the lamb - no oil required. Give
it a brief stir then leave for 3 minutes to brown, stir then repeat. Add the onions
and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the carrots, celery and leeks and continue to cook for another 5 minutes,
then add the tomato puree and flour. Stir, then add the stock, Worcester sauce,
rosemary, seasoning.
3. Bring up to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring
every now and then until it thickens up.
Method: for the Shepherd’s Pie
1. Pour the lamb mix into an oven proof dish and carefully spoon over the root
vegetable mash.
2. Cook on a middle shelf of the oven for approx 30 minutes, until bubbling and
the top is browned.
Neil can be found at Appetite within Abbey Sports & Leisure Club, 70 Slater
Street (off Frog Island), Leicester LE3 5AS. If you’ve got any feedback on this
recipe, nutrition questions, or ideas you’d like to share, why not email Neil at
appetite@abbeysports.co.uk
Delicious!