Shepherd’s Pie Sunday

Shepherd's Pie "Hachis Paramentier version"

Good evening Reader’s! Happy New Month! Comfort foods are guilty pleasure we can’t resist. The good old British Shepherd’s Pie is one hearty comfort food that I happily indulge in with no shame. With an African twist of seasoning (maggie cube, steak seasoning, black & white pepper and blended garlic and scotch bonnet pepper) and very hot spice, I used the French version “Hachis Paramentier” to prepare this tasty dish. This dish goes well with a glass of red wine. Hope you get to try out this recipe Aprons on!

Ingredients 

Ingredients

1. Pack of lean diced beef 450g
2. 4 medium potatoes
3. 2 carrots medium carrots
4. Handful of cherry tomato
5. 1 medium size onions
6. 4 cloves of garlic
7. 3 scotch peppers
8. Seasoning (maggie cube, steak seasoning, black & white pepper and blended garlic and scotch bonnet pepper) 
9. Olive Oil
10. Tomato puree
11. Tin of Evaporated
12. Block of mature cheddar cheese  
13. Chive for garnish

Serving for 4

Cooking Instructions

Carrots and potatoes about to be mashed

Mash

1. Peel potatoes and carrots
2. Chop into large sizes.
3. Boil carrots for 40 minutes and potatoes for 30 minutes
4. Once boiled put in a large bowl
5. Add 2 table spoons of evaporated milk (this will give the mash creamy fluffy consistency) and a pinch of salt. 

Sauté Beef

Stew

1.      Wash and season beef with seasoning mentioned above

2.      Slice onions sideways and cut cherry tomatoes in two

3.      Pour 30 ml olive oil into hot frying pan and heat to cooking temperature.

4.      Once oil is heated, add beef, onions and tomatoes and sauté for 10 minutes

5.      Added 2 squeezes of tomato puree, mix then leave to cook for a further 10 minutes in medium heat.

6.      Preheat oven at 180C degrees gas mark 4.

7.      Before serving sprinkle some grated cheese over the mash and put in the oven for 10 minutes or until slightly golden. 

Shepherd's Pie "Hachis Paramentier version"

Voila! Dish is done!  

Fried Rice (West African Style)

Fried Rice and Vegetable Stew

“Me NCC Fambul dem una ardu O” Hello NCC Family! Hope you’ve all had a wonderful weekend. Today’s blog post is Fried Rice and Vegetable Stew. Fried Rice is one of the most popular dishes when it comes to party food. If you’ve been to a Sierra Leonean event this dish was most definitely on the menu. “The Sierra Leonean Fried Rice” is slightly different from your Oriental Fried Rice. The egg is omitted from the rice and beef is added instead to the dish. Soya sauce is used for colour however, I prefer Worcestershire sauce for taste and colour. The photos show ingredient for serving for up to 30 people therefore, please follows the ingredient amount and steps below to try out this recipe. As always questions, comments and suggestions are always welcomed. Aprons on!

Ingredients for Fried Rice (Serving for 4)

1. 3 cups Green Dragon Thai fragrance rice (or Basmati)
2. 1kg beef
3. 6 large onions
4. 3 bell peppers (green, red and yellow)
5. 4 scotch peppers
6. Seasoning
7. Garlic
8. Ginger
9. Spring Onions
10. Garden eggs
11. Soya or Worcestershire sauce
12. Oil

Ingredients for Dish

Ingredients for Vegetable Stew

1. 6 large onions
2. 3 bell peppers (green, red and yellow)
3. 1 tin chopped tomatoes
4. 4 large carrots
5. 4 scotch peppers
6. Seasoning
7. Garlic
8. Ginger
9. Thyme
10. Spring Onions
11. Garden eggs
12. Oil

 

Cooking Instructions

Fried Rice

Washed Rice on clean cloth to drain excess water

1.      Wash and cut beef into little beef cubes

2.      Grater some ginger 2 table spoon full amount and 4 cloves of garlic.

3.      Season and marinade beef with Worcestershire or soya sauce, 2 teaspoons of ginger, garlic and your usual seasonings. Do this overnight and put in the fridge.

4.      Slice onions, cube tomatoes, bell peppers, garden egg and chops springs onions

5.      Blend two onions with scotch peppers and 4 cloves of garlic.

6.      Wash rice and spread it on a clean cloth to soak up any excess water.

7.      Put beef in pot without adding any water and let it steam until the water has reduced.

8.      Add half a liter of oil into pot once the water has reduced then add all your chopped vegetables and rice.

Frying Rice and Veg in pot

      9.      Add salt to taste, a cube of maggie plus extra seasoning and the blended onions, pepper and garlic. Let all the contents fry whilst mixing together. Do this for about 3 minutes

     10.  Add 100ml of lukewarm water then turn the heat low and leave to cook by steam for about 20 minutes whilst checking the rice every 5 minutes by mixing to ensure the rice is cooked through. 

     11.  Finally, if not, sprinkle a handful of water and cover the rice with foil, cover the pot and leave to steam in low heat until the rice has cooked through.

Fried Rice and Vegetable Stew

Vegetable Stew

1.      Slice onions, cube bell peppers, garden egg, chops springs onions and cut carrots into medium size chunks.

2.      Pour about 150ml oil into sauce pan and heat to cooking temperature.

3.      Once oil is heated, add the vegetables including the chopped tomatoes to fry

4.      Add bits of the blended pepper and onions into the stew whilst the above is cooking.

5.      Add seasoning and salt for flavour and a table spoon of tomato puree to give the stew colour.

6.      Leave stew to cook on low heat for a further 20 minutes leaving the pot open to let any excess water evaporate via steam.

Fried Rice and Vegetable Stew

Voila! Dish is done!