Lamb and vegetable pot pies

This recipe was inspired by one I found in a Super Food Ideas magazine – which you can see and checkout the original recipe here:

Photo and Recipe here: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/664/lamb+and+vegetable+pot+pies

This is a super easy recipe and if you get in the habit of always roasting sweet potato when you have the oven on – this will be one to add to your repertoire!

Ingredients

• Oil
• 600g lean lamb mince
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 120g-140g can/ tub tomato paste
• Spices: use all of these or a combination – make it tasty!
  • 3 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground chilli
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • dried herbs – any you want!

• 1 large sweet potato, (peeled) and diced (1 cm cubes) – (Use roasted sweet potato if you can – it will save HEAPS of cooking time!!)
• A stack of chopped vegetables: for example
  • 10 big mushrooms, chopped into chunky cubes,
  • 1 capsicum, diced,
  • 1-2 carrots diced,
  • 1 cup peas
• 440g can peeled tomatoes
• 1 cup stout beer

If you do Gluten

•  1-2 Sheets of frozen butter puff pastry (use butter puff pastry only not low fat/ reduced fat – less additives), if not

If you do Gluten FREE and Grain FREE

• just make a pastry topping using some ideas from Tania Hubbard using Pepita’s or Sunflower seeds:
  • http://www.glutenfreegrainfree.com.au/recipe-gluten-free-pastry-grain-free-pastry-two-ingredients/
  • http://www.glutenfreegrainfree.com.au/grain-free-recipe/

Method

1. Heat oil in large frying pan add lamb – cook for 5 minutes or until browned – (chop onion and garlic while you wait)
2. Add onion and garlic – cook 2 minutes – (measure out spices while you are waiting)
3. Add spices and tomato paste – cook 1 minute
4. Increase heat to medium high add vegetables, canned tomatoes, and stout.  Bring to the boil, then cover and reduce heat – simmer for 15 minutes or until sweet potato is cooked – if using raw sweet potato – even then sweet potato can take a LOT longer so I suggest you steam sweet potato while meat is cooking then add once cooked! OR even better use pre roasted sweet potato!  – (prep your pastry while waiting)
5. Spoon mix into oven proof bowls if you want pastry on top.  Bake in oven for 15 minutes or to suit your pastry topping.
6. Serve with salad/ cooked / mashed vegetables.

And that is it!  SO quick and easy peasy! I love making this during the week when I have cooked sweet potato in the fridge so it is even QUICKER!  You don’t need to have pastry with it if you don’t want to.  It tastes great with out it too.  Just serve it like a savoury mince 🙂

Now, I would love to hear from you! In the comments below, tell me how you’d love to eat this recipe – with pastry/ without pasty?

If you’ve found this recipe interesting, please share it with your friends!  I really do appreciate you taking the time to read and share