Today I have two recipes that everyone can make and I guarantee if you cook these once, you will do it again and again. This shepherd’s pie is a variation on my mother’s recipe. Like all good basic comfort foods, it starts off at home. It is great to eat with a fork from a wide shallow bowl. Make sure you get the best-quality minced lamb that is lean with a little bit of fat, about 90% meat content. There are lots of vegetables in this recipe, so it’s great for children. I often add some frozen peas. It is also a great way of using leftover masked potato. The cheese on top gives a really nice earthiness to the finished dish. I use Fifteen Fields, made by Eamonn Lonergan for Sheridans, or the Simply Better Vintage Irish cheddar, which is excellent. Life can’t get much better!

Well, maybe it can. There is salted caramel banana cake. Salt and sweet is all the trend. Who would have thought of putting salt flakes into a caramel sauce but it works? This is like a take on an upside down pineapple cake. This recipe also works well with pears, peaches or plums, but bananas are hard to beat for lovely flavour and texture. I like this served with crème fraiche, good vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream. You will go back to this recipe again and again. I promise !

Happy cooking.

Neven

Shepherd’s Pie

Serves six to eight

2tbsp rapeseed oil

675g (1 1/2lb) minced lamb

One knob of butter

Two onions, finely chopped

Two carrots, diced

Three celery sticks, diced

100g (4oz) baby button mushrooms, sliced

1tsp chopped fresh thyme

½tsp cinnamon

2tsp tomato puree

1tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2tsp tomato ketchup

300ml white wine

25g (1oz) plain flour

300ml chicken or beef stock

1kg (2 1/4lb) Rooster potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

50g (2oz) butter, plus a little extra

75g (3oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Buttered peas, to serve

  • 1 Put a frying pan over a high heat and add the oil. Season the minced lamb, then fry in batches to just seal and colour the meat, drain in a colander.
  • 2 Wipe out the pan and melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the vegetables and thyme and season with salt and pepper and cinnamon. Cook for five to six minutes until starting to soften, stirring occasionally.
  • 3 Add the lamb and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and tomato ketchup. Pour in the wine and allow to reduce by three-quarters.
  • 4 Sprinkle over the flour and cook for two to three minutes, stirring. Then gradually pour in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for one hour until meltingly tender. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more water.
  • 5 During the last half an hour of cooking, make the mash. Put the potatoes into a pan of salted cold water. Cover and bring the boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain the potatoes and return to the pan over a low heat for two to three minutes to remove as much moisture as possible. Remove from the heat and mash with a potato masher until smooth, then beat in the butter and cheese and season to taste.
  • 6 Preheat the grill. Spoon the mince into an ovenproof dish, then spoon the mash on top. Dot with a little more butter and grill until golden. Serve at once with the peas.

    • Salted caramel banana cake

    Serves six to eight

    For the base

    75g (3oz) butter

    75g (3oz) light muscovado sugar

    4-5 bananas

    Pinch sea salt flakes

    Juice of ½ lemon

    For the topping

    One ripe banana, mashed

    2tbsp crème fraiche

    1tsp vanilla extract

    175g (6oz) caster sugar

    75g (3oz) butter

    Two eggs

    175g (6oz) self-raising flour

    Whipped cream or crème fraiche to serve

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). To make the base, melt the butter in a frying pan or tin that is about 25cm (10in) in diameter and 5cm deep. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved and sprinkle over the salt. Slice the bananas and arrange in a concentric circles over the base. Sprinkle the lemon juice on top.
  • 2 For the topping, mash the banana, then add the crème fraiche and vanilla. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and continue to beat well. Gently fold in the flour and banana mixture. Spread over the bananas and bake for 45 minutes until risen and golden brown.
  • 3 Allow to rest for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a plate so that the bananas are on top. Serve warm cut into slices on plates with the crème fraiche.