Shepherd’s Pie
topped with Aged Leicestershire Red

Serves 4 as a main

* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 medium carrot, chopped
* 560g minced lamb
* 400g canned tomatoes
* 2 tbsp tomato purée
* 290ml beef stock
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 sprig fresh thyme (leaves only)
* 4 large King Edward potatoes, peeled
* 50g Thomas Hoe Stevenson Aged Leicestershire Red, grated
* Large knob butter (to taste)
* Salt and  freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and carrot and fry over a medium heat until soft. Add the minced lamb to the pan and fry for a few minutes to brown the mince all over. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, beef stock, bay leaf and thyme to the pan. Simmer for 30 minutes and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2 Chop the potatoes into quarters and boil in a pan of boiling water for about 10-15 minutes, until tender. When the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and mash the potatoes well. Add butter, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

3 Transfer the meat into an ovenproof dish and arrange spoonfuls of the mash on top of the meat. Use a spatula to smooth out the edges and sprinkle the grated Aged Leicestershire Red on top. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the potato is crisp and golden around the edges.
_____________________

This recipe is taken from Cooking Creatively with Cheese, by Tom Aitkens

To mark its centenary, Long Clawson Dairy worked with Michelin-starred chef Tom Aitkens to publish a new book, Cooking Creatively with Cheese. It contains 45 beautifully photographed recipes.

The hardback focuses on the successive decades that Long Clawson has been churning out the cheese, telling the dairy’s fascinating story and offering a selection of cheese-inspired recipes typical of each ten year chunk. You can even learn how to make a retro party buffet! It’s available from Long Clawson Dairy, priced £7.95

_____________________