Hey there lovely people! I had a bit of time in the middle of the week to catch up on some cooking, and that means my husband gets to eat real, homemade food! Hurray!

This week's recipe is crispy spring roll cups with chili-lime shrimp.

Chili, lime and coconut is a fantastic combination in both the sweet and savoury kitchen, and works particularly well paired with shrimp. The flaky cup is filled with a cooling sour cream sauce and topped with a sweet baked cherry tomato, peppery arugula and those delectable shrimp.

These super crispy cups are incredibly simple to make, too, which means this is great for weeknight meals, or as an addition to a barbecue or simple appetizer. The secret to the flaky cups are spring roll wrappers. Give them a light coating of oil, fold into squares, and bake in muffin forms. Simple, easy, quick. Bake for approximately 10 minutes until light golden and marvelously flaky.

24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 cherry tomatoes
100 ml + 2 tbsp oil
2 red chilis
3 limes
100 ml coconut flakes
5 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
250 g sour cream
50 g arugula (one large handful, washed)

For crispy spring roll cups:

1. Spread out spring roll wrappers and lightly brush with oil. 
   
2. Fold wrappers in half twice to make smaller squares.
3. Press dough into muffin forms to create a cup shape.
4. Bake 172°C/345°F approximately 10 minutes until light golden and crispy.

For chili-lime marinade, sauce, and baked tomatoes:

1. Blend chili with seeds, lime juice, 100 ml oil, garlic and coconut together until smooth. Add a bit more oil if it becomes too thick.
   
2. Add salt and pepper to taste, and adjust heat and sourness levels to personal taste.
3. Coat shrimp with HALF of the mixture.
4. Bake shrimp at 200°C/390°F approximately 7-10 minutes until just pink and firm or grill on skewers approximately 7 minutes.
   
5. Mix the remaining half of marinade with sour cream for sauce. Spoon into cups.
   
6. Rinse tomatoes and spread out in an oven-proof pan.
   
7. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   
8. Bake tomatoes at 200°C/390°F until they begin to shrivel and release their juices.

These cups are great for many occasions, or you could do like I did, and just eat like 6 of them until you're full. They can be served slightly warm or cool, so you can make them ahead of time. Prepare all ingredients and store everything but the cups in the fridge until ready to assemble. This recipe took around 45 minutes from start to finish. It was fast, easy and packed full of flavour, which made it a wonderful meal for my busy work days.

Needless to say, I'll be making this recipe again!

Remember to like and share this recipe, and leave a comment below to tell me what you think. I love to hear from you! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as QuiteChefy.

Until next time, stay chefy!

Hey there! The weather is finally improving from constant grey blandness to wonderful sunny goodness (at least a little bit). That means long walks, bike rides, and hiking. It also means that the gardens are growing, and we are slowing switching from heavy, hearty soups, stews and braises to light, fresh seasonal produce.

We've been trying to eat healthier around here, but that doesn't always have to mean steamed veggies and lettuce. Healthy food can still be delicious and packed with flavour. Today, I've chosen to take a little bit of Thai inspiration with a beautiful cucumber salad with peanuts and a sweet chili glazed salmon.

This salad combines lovely fresh cucumbers with a bit of onion, chili and cilantro (or coriander for some of you). Top this fresh salad with a lovely vinaigrette and top with crunchy peanuts and you have a wonderful healthy snack, or a healthy salad side. 

To serve with your delicious salad, try a piece of broiled salmon. Simply marinade salmon in sweet chili sauce for an hour, and broil for approximately 7-10 minutes. Brush with more sweet chili sauce, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with a bit of lime.

This meal is a perfect for busy weeknights where you just don't feel like putting a bunch of effort into the kitchen. It's fairly quick, healthy, and has buckets of flavour. Print or share a direct link to the recipe here.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please like and share with your friends using those handy buttons below. You can find more recipes at www.quitechefy.com/recipes and you can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as QuiteChefy. Feel free to leave a comment below telling me what you think, or leave a suggestion of what you'd like to see in the future, or you can simply click on the handy poll below.

Until next time, stay chefy and enjoy any good weather that comes your way!

Hey there! Welcome to my brand new series of posts on Quite Chefy all about Danish food. I've been living in Denmark for about 6 years now, and between every day living, holidays, and chef training, I've gotten to know the cuisine fairly well. There are some things I love, and other things....well...not so much. Regardless, I've decided to share some of these Danish recipes for you to try them out at home!

Romkugler (plural. approximately pronounced rum | kool | ah) is a Danish cake you can find just about everywhere. Directly translated, it means Rum Balls. It's not just any cake, though, it's the Frankenstein's monster of cakes. It uses leftover cake and scraps, a bit of jam, a bit of chocolate, and rum flavouring. This is all blended up together, rolled into balls, and covered with a colourful coating of crunchy sprinkles. Kind of like cake pops. They come in all sizes, too, from the usual bite-sized ball, to a lump the size of your head.

In my home, we can never finish off an entire cake ourselves since we're only two people, and I send food off to my husband's office fairly often. This is an excellent way to use up leftover cake other than freezing it for naughty late-night snacking, and it's also a clever way to reduce food waste. If you want to read more tips on how to reduce food waste in the home, check out a previous blog post here.

400 g leftover cake or cutoff edges (you can also use store-bought cake)
4 tablespoons raspberry jam (or what you have on hand)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
100 g melted chocolate (milk or dark)
2 tbsp rum essence
1.5 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
1 tbsp cream
sprinkles of choice or flaked coconut

1. Break up cake and place in a stand mixer with paddle attachment or food processor.
2. Blend to crumbs.
3. Mix in vanilla, jam, rum essence and cocoa powder.
4. Finely chop chocolate, and melt over water bath.
5. Mix melted chocolate and cream into cake until a dough forms, and you can roll it in your hands.
6. Form dough into balls and roll in sprinkles or coconut flakes. Store in fridge.

Rum balls can be kept a few days in the fridge, or can be frozen up to a year, and thawed for a quick sweet treat.

My rum balls used the leftover Mini Egg Easter Layer Cake with some of the buttercream cut away. I also used the leftover strawberry-rhubarb jam plus an extra teaspoon of jarred strawberry jam. You can literally use any cake and jam combination for this recipe, and it will taste a little different every time.

If you like this recipe, remember to like and share with your friends! You can also find a printable version of the recipe here.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this Danish recipe. If you have suggestions for other recipes you'd like to see, feel free to comment below or write to me here. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as QuiteChefy.

It's been a while since my last post, but I've finally gotten a bit of time off for Easter vacation, and I'm taking advantage by trying out lots of recipes and ideas. I also don't have to get up at 5:30 morning to do it, which is just wonderful.

I was excited to make some Easter food while I had the free time, so I started scouring the internet, and particularly Pinterest for inspiration, and inspiration is exactly what I found. It was hard to narrow down my choices, but I managed to pick two pins to try out in this month's Easter PinterTest baking special. These recipes can also be super fun to make with your kids!

The first PinterTest I attempted was for mini egg easter cake, which originally comes from Sainsbury's Magazine.

Sainsbury's beautiful cake is a combination of sponge cake, shortening-based icing, chocolate topping and chocolate mini eggs. You can find their recipes and instructions on how to make your own cake here.

Instead of copying their recipe, though, I decided to make my own version of their lovely cake, which you can see below.

I replaced their sponge cake with a plain vanilla cake, baked in layers. Instead of shortening-based icing, I made real buttercream with vanilla flavouring, which you can make by beating 250 g of butter and 500 -600 g powdered sugar and vanilla (or other flavour of choice) until light and fluffy.

The topping is a dark chocolate ganache, which is made with equal parts of cream and chocolate. Finely chop chocolate and add to a bowl. Heat cream to the boiling point, then pour over your chocolate. Allow the chocolate to melt and whisk together. Use as a topping, or refrigerate and roll spoonfuls in cocoa powder for homemade truffles!

I cooked down equal portions of strawberry and rhubarb (from frozen) with just a tablespoon of sugar, and a bit of lemon juice. I then blended it smooth, and cooked a bit of potato flour into the mixture until it was thick, and allowed the mixture to cool. I wanted this mixture to be really tart to cut through all the fat and sweetness of this cake.

I used mini marcipan eggs, which are super popular in Denmark, and added the fabulous sparkle of edible gold glitter to the top. The speckling on the cake is a mix of kirsch alcohol and cocoa powder, splashed on with a clean fan brush.

And there you have it! Remember that practice makes perfect, and cake decorating is an art form. My cake isn't nearly as pretty as the one found at Sainsbury's, but it packed a punch with flavouring.

Find the vanilla cake recipe I used below.

No I don't mean a basket for my bread. I mean a basket MADE of bread. The next PinterTest is made using a simple bread dough, some aluminum foil, and a glass bowl to create a lovely little edible Easter basket.

Basket weaving is challenging enough, but you should really try it out with bread dough!

Ok, so mine didn't quite turn out like the one above, but the instructions were a bit confusing, and I'm just so crap at weaving. Hey, I tried!

As you can see, I made a basket...sort of. It was a bit thin, and crooked because the dough stretched out while trying to weave it, but I really liked it regardless. I could see myself making a much larger version for thanksgiving rolls. Of course, as I stated earlier in this post, practice makes perfect. If you want to make your own bread basket, try out the recipe below, and check out Wonderful DIY for instructions for this and other great projects.

Thanks for joining me for this Easter PinterTest special. If you enjoyed this post, and would like to see more like it, feel free to leave a message below or find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as QuiteChefy.

Sharing is caring! Share this with your friends and family, and let me know what you'd like to see more of in the future!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter holiday, and if you don't celebrate Easter, then just have a wonderful week!

Until next time, lovelies, stay chefy!

Hey there! Whether you love it or hate it, Valentines Day is upon us again, and that means being bombarded with cutesy merchandise, hearts, and all things red and pink. We usually just stay home, order in, and watch something cheesy on t.v. That's just a perfect evening for me! It's also a perfect excuse to try out some new recipes to surprise my hubby!

To start off the day on a sweet note, why not whip up some delicious, and colourful, red velvet pancakes with a drizzle of tangy, sweet cream cheese icing? Chocolately and fluffy, you can surprise your partner or eat the whole stack yourself and have absolutely no regrets whatsoever. Finely chop some chocolate and toast some nuts for a little extra crunch.

Pancakes:
475 ml flour/2 cups
2 tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
pinch salt
2 eggs
175 ml sugar/ 3/4 cup
300 ml buttermilk/ 1 1/4 cups
120 ml melted butter/ 1/2 cup
2 tbsp red gel colouring or a bottle of liquid red
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Icing:
100 g cream cheese
50 ml sour cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Sift together flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thickened and pale in colour.
3. Whisk in buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla, food colouring and vinegar.
   
4. Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and carefully fold together until incorporated.
5. Grease a nonstick pan or skillet and cook spoonfuls of pancakes on medium-low heat until bubbles form and pop on one side. Flip and cook a minute on the other side. They can burn quite easily, so keep an eye on them.
   
6. Whisk together cream cheese, sour cream and powdered sugar. Drizzle over pancakes.
7. Serve with toasted nuts, chopped chocolate or a drizzle of maple syrup.

If you like this recipe, leave a comment below and be sure to say what other recipes you'd like to see. I'm working on a couple of other projects at the moment, so check back, or follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend and Valentines Day!

Knives, for a chef, are more than tools. A knife becomes a part of you, an extension of the hand itself. You can spend money on an array of fancy equipment and tools that claim to make your work in the kitchen easier, but the most important piece of equipment you can ever own is your knife, so it's important that you make the right decision. But what is the right decision? What is the best knife for you?

Let's first look at the basic structure of kitchen knives:

Another topic that can spark heated debate among the knife-obsessed is that of bolsters and tangs. A bolster is basically a byproduct of the forging process, which creates a thick band of metal at the heel of the blade before the handle. Sometimes, these bolsters are cut away for aesthetic reasons. Stamped knives don't have a bolster, and many fanatics will claim that a bolster is a sign of quality and safety. While the bolster can add weight at the top of the blade, which helps the balance, it's not a sign of quality nor safety. It's a sign of how the blade was manufactured.

The above points, as previously mentioned, are all a matter of personal preference. A good quality knife isn't solely dependent on if it's handmade, stamped or if the tang extends to the end of the handle. A good knife is one that feels comfortable in your hand, is sharp, and can hold its sharpness. If you're like me, and you have smallish hands, then a blade with a stick tang without a bolster may be the most comfortable grip.

Like everyone else as a newbie at culinary school, I bought a "Knife Starter Kit", much like the one shown in the picture below. The kit includes:

1. Chef knife, 30 cm, a large universal knife for chopping, slicing, etc
2. Boner knife, a meat knife used for butchering and removing bones
   
3. Pallet knife, used for cooking, serving, flipping, and spreading
4. Paring knife, used for peeling, small detail work
5. Y-Peeler, used to cut paper thin slices or peel thinly
   
6. Bird's beak paring knife, used for garnishes, fruit carving and tournee cuts
7. Pincet/Tweezer tongs, used for handling hot foods while cooking, frying, etc
8. Vegetable peeler, used for general rough peeling

The above kit is one most culinary students at my institution begin with. Kitchen equipment is expensive, and this kit is around 475 dkk, which is less than $100 CAD/USD. Pretty affordable, right? And they do the trick! They''re sturdy and sharp. They're also cheap. While they tend to stay sharp for a while, they can quickly become dull with daily use, which is why it's a good idea to invest in a honing steel. You may even have one stashed in your knife block already. A steel is used to hone a knife, keeping an already sharp knife from degrading too quickly. However, a steel will not sharpen a dull blade, and if your knife is dull or pitted, take it to a professional for sharpening. Honing is considered non-destructive, while sharpening is not. To sharpen a blade, you need to remove bits of it. My former boss had a boning knife that's been sharpened so many times that it resembles a toothpick with a handle. 

There are three main types of honing steels:

Check out this video on how to steel or hone your knife:

You really only need a couple of good, universal knives in your kitchen: A chef knife, a serrated knife and a paring knife. These knives can tackle most jobs thrown your way.

There is a huge array of specialized knives and tools on the market, but I've selected some that I personally own and enjoy using, which you can see below.

When I talk about Japanese and Western/German knives, there are a few differences that are about more than just style.

Without getting into a huge debate, the main differences between these knives are hardness, shape, blade thickness and steel used. Many would argue that one is better than the other, but it really comes down to preferences and how much you're willing to spend.

Japanese knives are known for their lightweight, hard steel, which can hold an edge (stays sharp) for longer. The drawback is that the blades can get notched, and if you drop one, it can break.

Western knives are known for being durable and heavier, with a softer steel. The weight of the knife can help in cutting through ingredients. The softer blade means it may not hold an edge for as long, but instead of notching or breaking, it may bend instead.

If you're interested in learning more about Japanese and Western knives, you can read this article at sharpen-up.com.

Knives are one of the most important tools in the kitchen, but safety while using potentially hazardous tools is even more important for your own safety and well-being.

Here are some of my top safety tips:

Ok, the name may sound a bit silly, but it's accurate. You literally make a claw shape with the hand holding the food being sliced, which means tucking fingertips under your knuckles and keeping your thumb back and away from the blade. When slicing, the blade rests against your knuckles, keeping those soft fingertips on your fingers where they belong, instead of in the food.

It may sound silly to say it, but a sharp knife, as scary as it may be, is much safer to use than a dull blade. Sharp blades don't take as much work to use, meaning that not only do you reduce strain to yourself, but you don't need to press as hard for the knife to cut. The harder you have to work to cut something, the more there is potential for that knife to slip, and for your to injure yourself. Unless you're clumsy like I am, and can trip over shadows.

When you place a damp cloth under your cutting board, the cutting board is much less likely to move around or slide while using it. This gives better stability (just be sure that the cutting board isn't rocking on the cloth) and reduces risk of accidental cuts.

Never put a knife into a sink full of soapy water. The next person, or even you, may lose sight of it and cut your hand when reaching in. Place the knife on the side of the sink, wash it immediately, or place used knives into a separate bucket for separate cleaning. Remember to store your knives safely and out of reach of small children.

Even if you have superhero-like reflexes, and congrats if you do, never try to catch a falling knife. Put your hands up, step back, and let it fall. It's better to let the floor take a bit of damage rather than chopping pieces of yourself to bits.

A knife is an extension of the arm, and having the right tools to work with can make all the difference. However, you don't need to break the bank to have great knives. Buy the best you can afford, because they will last longer, but be sure to try them out first. It's important that the tools are comfortable in your hands.

Practice proper knife skills, but remember that practice makes perfect.

I hope you enjoyed this post on knives! If you like this content, and would like to see more, feel free to leave a message below or contact me via email, facebook, twitter or instagram. Tell me what you'd like to see next, and be sure to share with your friends.

Until next time, stay chefy!

Hey there! I hope that this new year is working out for everyone so far. For me, it's included a lot of apartment renovations and painting. I can say with pride that we have actual functioning lights in our hallway again! YAY! I'm also back to work again, so posts are up at random times now.

I may have started the year off with a cream-based dessert (check out the Raspberry Vanilla Panna Cotta recipe here), but now that my surgery is over and I can eat more-or-less normally again, it's time to start putting healthy things into my mouth.

Not too long ago I decided that we should have fish for dinner. I was never a huge fish lover, but I've learned over the years that it's really all in the preparation. As long as the fish is fresh and prepared nicely, it tastes great!

I chose to make halibut, which is a type of flounder/flat fish. Unlike salmon, it's a white fish with a very low fat content. It has firm, flaky meat with a delicate, slightly sweet flavour. I crusted the fish with a bit of spicy mustard, and a mixture of Panko (Japanese bread crumb) and chopped herbs. I pan fried the fish and served with a bit of lemon and some sides (potatoes and salad). I used panko because it tastes great and gets super crispy when fried. I found it in my regular grocery store in the asian foods aisle.

4 halibut fillets
4 tablespoons panko
2 tbsp chopped dill
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped chives
4 tbsp flour
4 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp oil for frying
Salt and Pepper
Lemon on the side

If you're a fan of this recipe and want to see more, feel free to leave a comment letting me know what you'd like to see next. I'm especially on the lookout for new PinterTest recipes! Check out my other recipes, and share with your friends! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. You can also email me here.

As always, stay chefy!

Happy New Year everyone! This year, I'll be starting off with a dessert recipe. Yeah yeah we've all eaten too much over the holidays, but this isn't just any dessert. I like to think of it as "the little black dress of desserts". It's a simple little number that you can serve plain or dress up for a trendy black tie affair.

Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert meaning "cooked cream". The cream is thickened with gelatine and then set on a mould. It's typically turned out onto a plate and served with a sauce, but can also be served in portioned cups.

Panna Cotta can be served in virtually any flavour combination imaginable with toppings and layeres.

I had to make 100 of these little beauties for a copper wedding anniversary at the last minute. My husband's friends cried out for help on Facebook when their usual go-to cake lady cancelled due to work. meaning they needed a dessert and they needed it fast! I'm on sick leave since my jaw surgery, and had nothing else to do, so I agreed to help. It was just a couple days after Christmas, so the pressure was on. I needed something I could make after coming home after spending Christmas at my in-laws, and they were on a tight budget. I suggested Panna Cotta, and it was just the ticket, at just 8.50 dkk per serving (about $1.25 USD). We agreed that it should have white chocolate and raspberry. The rest was up to me. Playtime!!

The dessert I made for them was a vanilla panna cotta topped with a raspberry gel. Sprinkled onto the gel was granulated caramelized white chocolate, a shard of almond nougatine glass, two meringues, raspberry and licorice, and a fresh raspberry.

The dessert was a hit, and they had plenty left over, which was great because panna cotta freezes well and they could use it as their New Years dessert! 

If you want to read more ways you also can reduce food waste in the kitchen, you can check out some tips here.

This recipe has been adjusted to give 6 portions of 150 ml each (which is the size you see in the photos)

Vanilla panna cotta:
​
450 ml cream
450 ml full fat milk
90 g sugar
2 vanilla beans
6 leaves gelatine

1. Split vanilla bean and scrape out seeds
   
2. Mix 2 tablespoons of sugar and vanilla seeds together
3. Add milk and cream to a pot
4. Pour vanilla sugar, remaining sugar, and vanilla pod in with milk and stir
5. Bring to a boil and reduce heat
6. Soften gelatine in water for approximately 5 minutes
7. Squeeze out excess water from gelatine, and stir it well into your milk mixture
8. Remove from heat and allow to cool, letting the vanilla bean steep
9. After 15 minutes, remove vanilla bean
10. Let the panna cotta mixture cool down and thicken slightly before pouring into moulds or cups, else all your vanilla will fall to the bottom
11. Refrigerate until set
    

Raspberry gel:
​
2 bags (800 g) frozen raspberries
1 tbsp sugar
100 ml water
Squeeze of lemon
4 leaves gelatine

1. Add all ingredients to a pot on medium and cook until berries break down
   
2. Strain your berries by pressing them through a sieve, reserving liquid
3. Soften gelatine approximately 5 minutes
4. Heat raspberry juice until it simmers, then remove from heat
5. Squeeze excess water from gelatine and add to hot raspberry juice and whisk well
6. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature and pour on panna cotta
7. The panna cotta MUST be set before adding another layer, and the new layer must be room temperature, else it will melt your panna cotta
   

Caramelized white chocolate
(Warning: this needs to be made a day ahead)

Take a bar of your preferred white chocolate and melt carefully over warm water. Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer, and bake 120° for approximately an hour until the chocolate turns a light golden brown. It will continue to caramelize after you remove from the oven, so don't let it get too dark, or it will become bitter!

Allow the chocolate to dry out 12 hours (depending on your chocolate) before hacking into pieces, or blending into granules. Chocolates vary, and the chocolate I used remained soft many hours after baking.

Mini meringues

2 egg whites
100 g confectioner's sugar
flavouring of choice (appx ½ tsp)
a pinch of cream of tartar or a few drops lemon

Beat your egg whites on high speed until they begin to froth. Add your sugar slowly, a bit at a time together with the cream of tartar or lemon juice. Continue to beat until the egg whites become thick and stiff enough to hold the bowl upside down and add flavouring at the last second. A half a teaspoon of flavouring should do.

Bake at 90° for approximately 1.5 hours until dried and crispy. They should not be chewy in the middle. Once oven dried, you can leave them in the open to further air dry and avoid sticking together. They don't last long in humid climates, so I had to make them the morning of the party to be sure they weren't sad, limp little puffs.

The finished product was served to around 60 adults and children and received plenty of praise from the anniversary guests.

I had a lot of fun making these desserts, and if you like this recipe or have a suggestion for a future recipe, feel free to comment below or send me a message! Sharing is caring, so remember to share this recipe with your friends, or check out my other recipes. You can also find a printable version of the basic recipe here.

Until next time, lovlies, stay chefy!!

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas, Happy New Years and any other holiday you may celebrate at this time of year. 2015 may be coming to an end, but a new year is just around the corner, and that means new experiences and opportunities.

So stay safe out there, and I'll see you in the new year!

Lots of love

Lea

Shepherd's pie, as many of you well know, is a classic layered British dish, traditionally made with minced lamb and potato. Everyone and their grandmother has their own favourite twist on this recipe, and I'm no different.

This savory, moreish dish is a favourite for my husband and I during depressing Danish winters where it's typically rainy, windy and very dark. When I think about it, pretty much anything with mashed potato is a fan favourite here.

I kept the recipe simple with ground beef, carrot, celery, onion and garlic, with a bit of red wine, beef stock and spices, and then piled the buttery mashed potatoes high on top for a super tasty one-dish meal that took less than an hour to make.

1. Peel and boil potatoes in unsalted water until tender.
2. Drain potatoes and place back on low heat to steam dry.
3. Mash potatoes with butter, cream, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
4. Preheat oven to 175°C/345°F and set potatoes aside.
5. In a large sautee pan or or skillet, heat oil and butter.
6. Sweat onions and garlic until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
7. Add beef and brown.
8. Add carrots, celery, thyme, oregano, cloves and cook approximately 10 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.
9. Add wine and reduce by half.
10. Add stock, Worcestershire sauce and dijon.
11. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for approximately 15 - 20 minutes until liquid reduces and becomes thicker.
12. Spread meat mixture into a baking dish and layer mashed potato on top. If you choose to pipe the potatoes, allow them to cool slightly to avoid burning yourself. Safety first.
13. Bake 20-30 minutes until potatoes are browned and mixture is bubbly.

Find a printable version of the recipe here.

And there you have it! This dish gets extremely hot, so let it sit and cool off for about 5 minutes before serving to avoid burning your mouth.

If this recipe is right up your alley, then be sure to leave a like and share with your friends! Feel free to comment below or send me an email to tell me how it went, and as always, you can find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as Quite Chefy.