Schwartz Shepherd’s Pie – review (AD)

I was kindly sent a Schwartz Shepherd’s Pie recipe mix in exchange for an honest review*.

With yet another storm battering us at the weekend it was the perfect time for some hearty home cooked food.

Regular readers will know I’m not overly confident in the culinary skills department so having an easy to follow recipe and part of the hard work already done for me is a winner in my eyes!

While Steve did the nighttime routine with Elsie I got to work in the kitchen.

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Schwartz Shepherd’s Pie ingredients list

• 1 onion
• 450g of lamb mince
• 2 carrots
• 200ml of cold water
• 100g of frozen peas
• 675g of mashed potato
• 1 packet of Schwartz Shepherd’s Pie recipe mix

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Schwartz Shepherd’s Pie recipe

Once I’d ticked off my ingredients from the list I decided to start off with the mashed potato, this is the fist time I’ve made it myself from scratch so I checked with Steve what to do.

I soaked the potatoes in a bowl with cold water to make it easier to peel the skin.

Once peeled I cut them smaller and removed any imperfections before transferring to a large pan half filled with cold water.

Using the largest ring on the hob I cooked the mashed potato until soft.

While the potatoes were cooking I prepped the vegetables.

I must admit I hate chopping onions I always end up with tears streaming down my face so Steve kindly peeled and diced the onion for me setting it aside in a bowl.

Then I diced the carrots adding to the diced onions and put it to one side for now.

I pre-heated the oven to 200 and checked on the potatoes which were now soft and ready for mashing.

I drained the potatoes and transferred to a large bowl.

We like our mash a little on the smooth and creamy side so I added some butter and semi skilled milk – you make the mash the way you prefer it I know everyone is different. Then I set it to one side.

I weighed out the frozen peas and left them to the side for later.

It was now time to brown the lamb mince.

I pre-heated a large frying pan on the largest ring on the hob then added the lamb mince. As we have a non-stick pan I didn’t use any oil.

Then I added the diced onion and carrot, stirring until golden brown for about five or so minutes.

I mixed the Schwartz Shepherd’s Pie recipe mix to a jug of 200ml of cold water and added this to the pan with the frozen peas.

I brought the contents of the pan to the boil, kept stirring and allowed it to simmer uncovered for another five minutes or so.

By now the pre-heated oven was ready.

I transferred the contents of the pan to an ovenproof dish then I layered the mashed potato on the top, spreading it evenly.

Then it was time to transfer the dish to the oven and set the timer for 25 minutes.

While the oven worked its magic I did the dishes, cleaned the surfaces and hob and got changed into my pyjamas.

Once it was ready I allowed the Shepherd’s Pie to cool for a few moments before serving.

This recipe can easily serve four but I didn’t do anything extra such as more vegetables; so I dished up two generous portions for Steve and I and a third plate for leftovers the next day for my lunch.

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My overall thoughts on Schwartz Shepherd’s Pie

The directions on the back of the packet are clear, concise and really simple to follow.

There’s some alternative ideas to spice it up too – such as using sweet potatoes instead.

I found that it’s perfectly seasoned with paprika, garlic and bay leaf flavourings and packed a punch with flavour with minimal fuss.

Having everything I needed to add flavour in just one packet was so convenient – just add some water and you’re good to go!

This mix has no artificial colours, no hydrogenated fat, no added preservatives or MSG and is suitable for vegetarians too.

We’ve used a few of the Schwartz mixes before but this was the first time we’ve tried the Shepherd’s Pie one and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

When I lived at home my mam often made Cottage Pie and it was the same for Steve – we both agreed that lamb mince is really tasty but also a lot lighter on the tummy than beef, it was a welcome change as we usually have chicken or beef.

You can pick up the Schwartz Shepherd’s Pie mix in Tesco for 89p or mix and match with other sachets 4 for £2 – a really good deal and worth having in the cupboard!

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*Disclaimer

This review has been written with 100% honesty.

I was given a Schwartz Shepherd’s Pie recipe mix in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this post are completely my own based on my own experience.

If you would like your company/service featured on rachaelstray.com either in the form of review, sponsored post or an advertising slot, please feel free to contact me at rachaelstray@gmail.com

Please visit my contact/work with me page for more information.

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Other review related posts

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See how I got on with the chicken and cannellini cassoulet recipe box from Riverford

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Here’s my thoughts on Kiss and Bake Up Brownies

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