Toddler recipe: Mini shepherd’s pies
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Toddler recipe: Mini shepherd’s pies

By Caroline Hire

Make these shepherd's pies for your toddler and see how they wolf them down. As well as lamb, they're packed with lentils, carrots, courgette and pepper

  • Prep:20 mins
    Cook:1 hrs 20 mins
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 337
  • fat 14g
  • saturates 7g
  • carbs 35g
  • sugars 6g
  • fibre 5g
  • protein 16g
  • salt 0.45g

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 stick celery, diced
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • pinch of cumin
  • 250g lean lamb mince (10% fat)
  • 1 courgette, diced
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 400ml low salt beef stock (we used Kallo for gluten-free pies, see tip below)
  • 100g lentils, thoroughly rinsed
  • 1.2kg Maris Piper potatoes
  • 50g butter
  • 75ml milk
  • 60g grated cheddar

Tip

Gluten free

Not all stock cubes are gluten-free. Always check the packaging if this is important. Kallo very low salt organic beef stock cubes are gluten-free.

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion and cook for around 5 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic, carrots, celery, pepper and cumin. Cook for a further two mins, then add the lamb. Brown the meat, tipping off any excess fat. Add the courgette and tomato purée, then fry for a few mins more. Pour in the stock, add the lentils and bring to a simmer. Cook for 40 mins, stirring from time to time.

  2. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 mins until tender. Drain, then mash with the butter and milk.

  3. Remove the lamb mixture from the heat and use a stick blender to purée. Stir as you purée, blending down the pieces of vegetables. Spoon into 8 largish individual ramekins. Top with the mash and grated cheese. The pie can now be chilled and frozen for up to a month. 

  4. Bake for 30 mins until the top is golden and the mince is bubbling up at the sides. (Cook from frozen at 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 for about 40 mins, then turn up to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 for 20-30 mins or until golden on top and piping hot in the centre.) Leave to stand for at least 10 mins before serving. Check it has cooled down sufficiently in the centre before giving it to young children.

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