Shepherds Pie

Ingredients
450g Potatoes
1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
2 Large Carrots (diced)
400g Minced Lamb
75g Frozen Peas
2 Beef Stock Cubes
2 Vegetable Stock Cubes
250ml Hot Lamb Stock
Worcestershire Sauce, Tomato Sauce and Brown Sauce
A Splash of Oil
Milk
A Knob of Butter
100g Grated Cheddar Cheese

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok
1 Large Pan
4 Little Oven Dishes (the size you get in restaurants when you order something like this)
OR
1 Large Oven Dish
1 Grater

The Good Bit

1. Start by cutting your potatoes into bite size pieces then cooking in a large pan of salted water for 10 minutes (or microwave in a covered pan without water for about the same length of time) Check the potatoes with a fork, if they break easily then they'll be fine to mash if not cook a little longer (if you microwave, shake them around in the covered pan and if they break on the side and lid then hey presto!)
2. Meanwhile fry the onion in a little oil in the frying pan until it's golden and soft then add the meat and carrot and cook until the meat is all brown, at this point add all four stock cubes well crumbled to the frying pan and stir in well before adding a good splash of each of the sauces, the lamb stock and the frozen peas, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. You should now have a little time on your hands to mash the potatoes. Drain the water and get busy! if you've cooked the potatoes long enough this should be relatively easy, once they are fairly well mashed add in a good knob of butter and a splash of milk, keep mashing until you have a fairly thick but smooth consistency, if it's like concrete then add another splash of milk, again it's easier to ad more milk if needed than to take out!
4. At this point you have a choice, mix the cheese in with the mash or serve on top, Serve your meat into your pie dish/dishes and top with the mash then put in an oven for 30mins 210c 410f, serve when ready
   

Serves 4

Lamb Biryani

Ingredients
250g Lamb (cubed straight from the supermarket)
Oil
Butter
1 Onion (finely chopped)
250g Long Grain Rice
600ml Veg or Chicken Stock
350g Cauliflower
100g Frozen Peas
1 Teaspoon Each Turmeric and Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Each Coriander and Chilli
Salt and Pepper to Taste.
Toasted Almond flakes (optional) to serve

Equipment
1 Sharp Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Spatula
1 Plastic Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Mix together a splash of oil in your bowl with the turmeric, cumin, coriander and chilli, then whack in your lamb and give it a good stir.
2. Heat a splash of oil in the frying pan along with a good knob of butter (slightly more than you would butter a slice of toast with) and cook the onion until it begins to soften (4-5mins), then chuck in the lamb and its juices and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Pour in the stock and add the rice then bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes before adding the cauliflower, then stir in the frozen peas and cook until all the stock has gone (about 4 minutes) Season and serve! (you could top with a sprinkle of toasted almond flakes if you wanted to be fancy)

Serves 4

Lamb Hot Pot

Ingredients
4 Lamb Steaks (100g each or just over the palm of your hand in size)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 400g Can Chopped Tomatoes
120ml Mixed Stock (1 chicken and 1 veg cube)
100g Green beans (sliced in half, not length ways!!)
Tabasco Sauce
500g Potatoes
A Splash of Oil
A Knob of Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Mixed Herbs (you should always have this in your stock cupboard)

Equipment
2 SHARP Knifes
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Pan (2/3rds full boiling salted water)
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok (with a lid)

The Good Bit

1. Put The potatoes whole (or Halved if they are very large) in the pan of boiling water and cook for 10mins. Meanwhile cut each of the lamb steaks into 4 strips then place in the frying pan with the onion and a splash of oil and cover and cook for 4 minutes until well browned.
2. Pour in the tomatoes, the stock, the green beans and sprinkle over the herbs, add a dash of tabasco (only if you like a little bite to the meal) and bring to the boil then turn down the heat to a low simmer whilst you do the next bit.
3. Drain the potatoes and slice as thin as possible (you may want to run them under a little cold water to allow you to handle them, then arrange the slices in overlapping layers on top of the lamb, cover the frying pan turn up the heat a little and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. The icing on the cake if you can do it, is to dot butter on to the potatoes at this stage and whack under a high grill for a couple of minutes to crispen those potatoes off.

Serves 4