Shepherd's pie

Serves: Four
Category: Main meals
Prep time: 45mins

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Ingredients
Method

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
3 celery sticks, diced
600g lean lamb mince
300g passata
150ml low salt beef stock
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 small swede (about 450g), peeled and diced
375g carrots, sliced
150g frozen peas
25g parmesan, grated

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190c / 170c / gas mark 5. Heat a large non-stick pan set over a medium heat and add the oil. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and celery and cook for 6-8 min until soft. Add the mince and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 5 min or until browned. Add the passata, stock, mustard and worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25min.
2. While the filling is cooking, add the swede and carrots to a large saucepan of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 min or until soft. Drain, then return to the pan and turn off the heat. Using a stick blender, blitz the vegetables into a puree, then season with black pepper.
3. Stir the peas into the filling, then spoon the mixture into 4 x 450ml pie dishes or 1 x 1.75-2 litre baking dish. Cover evenly with the swede and carrot topping, then scatter with the parmesan. Bake for 20 min or until the topping is golden.
4. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 min before serving.

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Food facts

Protein: Because the protein content of this dish is high it is great for people who are on dialysis. For those people with CKD 4-5 (not on dialysis) you may want to reduce the amount of lamb or opt for the vegetarian alternative so as to reduce the protein content. You could make a vegetarian equivalent with Quorn or chick peas and red lentils. You could even consider making the dish 05:50 with a vegetarian alternative.

Salt: The low salt beef stock and Worcestershire sauce will be the main source of salt in this dish. The majority of the flavour comes from the mustard, bay leaf, and thyme but you could consider adding more Italian herbs and potentially omit the Worcestershire sauce.

Phosphate/potassium: If you have been advised by your renal doctor or dietitian to follow a low potassium diet, using swede and carrots rather than potato will not only create a dynamic new flavour for your shepherd’s pie Kidney Kitchen Shepherd's Pie but also reduce the amount of potassium you would have gained from potato. Ask your dietitian or kidney doctor if you should be following a low phosphate diet. The meal will contain a reasonable amount of phosphate so if you are prescribed a phosphate binder ensure you take one as directed with this meal.

Storage: With any leftover shepherd's pie, allow to cool then refrigerate and consume within 2 days. If freezing, place in a sealed container and ensure when reheating, that the food has been defrosted thoroughly before and that the food is piping hot before serving.

Cheaper options: You could try a vegetarian option using lentils and chickpeas to reduce the cost or perhaps using the left overs from your Sunday roast. A switch to lean beef, turkey or chicken would create a very flavoursome alternative as well.