Shepherd's Pie (with no onion or garlic)

 

Since I've been avoiding garlic and onion – and been much better for it too – I have avoided making classics that rely on those ingredients.  But I decided to give Shepherd's Pie a go.  Shepherd's Pie is traditionally made from leftover lamb and mashed potatoes.  If you make it with mince (ground beef) it is then called a cottage pie.

So first I gently heated some oil in my casserole dish – which can also go onto the top of the stove.  I added a few spices to the oil – cumin, chilli powder, turmeric, asafoetida and let the flavours meld for a minute or two. 

I then added some finely diced carrot and freshly grated ginger – a good knob.  If you wanted to add onion and garlic this is when you'd add it.

I added some finely chopped fresh herbs – rosemary (a smidge only), thyme, chives and basil together with a couple of bay leaves which I left in large pieces so I could fish them out later.

While this is sautéing very gently I chopped up the leftover lamb (reserving the bones in the freezer for making stock later). 

You add the lamb, a tin of chopped tomatoes, some tomato paste, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, porcini powder, a teaspoon of sugar, a splash of lemon juice and stir.

Just let that keep cooking gently while you prepare your mashed potatoes.

Spoon your mashed potato on the top – I went for the rustic look.  Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grated cheese and a few dobs of butter.

I prepared this a bit in advance so at this point I popped the dish into the fridge but you could cook it right away.

To finish it just needs to be baked in a moderate oven until it is piping hot and the topping is nice and brown.

Cheese Omelette - a little bit spicy

This was a slightly spicy take on a Cheese Omelette.  I heated some oil and butter in the pan – adding asafoetida, turmeric and cumin and let it fry off gently for a while.

I whisked up the eggs plus a spoonful of water and added pepper (but no salt).

After pouring the eggs into the spice mix, wait until the top is just about to set and sprinkle grated cheese on top (I used parmesan).

Turn it out onto a plate and garnish with spring onion tops (the green part of scallions).

Chicken Casserole with a new spice – Hing Chicken

I called this chicken dish Hing Chicken in honour of my newest spice Asafoetida (which is also known as Hing).  I went to some trouble (and mileage) to source this spice in an effort to substitute for the flavours of onion/garlic.  And while it didn't taste exactly the same, it was a pleasant surprise.

I took some short cuts which I don't recommend to you.  But sometimes needs must. 

I have a nice casserole dish that you can also put on the hob.  So while the oven was heating up to a low/moderate temperature I fried off some spices in a little oil.  The spices I used were cayenne pepper, turmeric, ground coriander, cumin and a very small pinch of asafoetida.  Don't get put off by the smell of this spice – it adds a nice savoury note when fried off.

I then added some frozen chicken thighs (you should defrost them first!) , a small tin of tomato pulp, a tablespoon of grated ginger, a teaspoon of salt, 2 bay leaves and half a teaspoon of sugar (to balance out the tomato a bit).  I also included ½ cup of beef broth (but chicken stock would be better).

Then into the oven for about 3 hours – I tested the chicken with a meat thermometer to double check it was cooked.  Just before serving this with rice add some chopped spring onion tops (the green top parts of scallions) and some fresh basil.

Spice of the Month - Asafoetida

Asafoetida is not only difficult to spell or say but also is difficult to source – unless you have access to an Indian spice market.  The spice is pretty new to me.  I have been using it recently as a sort of substitute for the flavours of garlic and onion which I now don't tolerate very well.

So what is asafetida and how do you use it?  It is the dried gum of a plant – Ferula which is a fennel like herb which grows quite tall and is cultivated in India.

The smell of this spice is not only pungent but a bit horrible – but don't be put off by that – just like other things like shrimp paste and fish sauce, the smell is not nice but the flavor when used in cooking is great.  If you get some, store it in an air tight container or you'll regret it!

Another name for this spice is hing.

This spice is a staple in Indian cooking and is often paired with turmeric.  It also goes well with a little cumin and ginger.

Several health benefits are claimed for this spice.  Anti flatulence.  Digestive aid.  Fighting off the flu virus.  Who knows?

To use it in non-Indian dishes it is best to use only small quantities (less than half a teaspoon) and to add it at the beginning of the dish – preferably frying it off in a little oil or coconut cream.