The Hairy Dieters mince and vegetable pie with tumbled spuds

Excuse the very rustic looking picture above, but I suppose that's home cooking for you, haha. This recipe is taken from the second Hairy Bikers diet book Eat for life however I have adapted it slightly due to me having different ingredients at home. This dish is the first I've made from the new book and it did not disappoint, it did not scrimp on flavour and it certainly did not taste like diet food. I like the idea of the tumbled potatoes on top as it makes a change from having mashed potato on top a la shepherds or cottage pie. I made mine with minced lamb and I'm sure any minced meat would work however the calorie information will obviously be different to what the book states. Also the vegetables can be swapped to whatever you happen to have in your fridge. Another idea could be to try sweet potato mixed with white potato for the tumbled topping. It's a dish that can be really changed to suit your own families personal tastes. This will be a dish that I will be making again soon as the whole family (children included) enjoyed it.

Mince and vegetable pie with tumbled spuds  (adapted slightly from The Hairy Dieters-Eat for life)
Serves 4

Ingredients

500g minced lamb
4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
2 leeks, trimmed and sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2tbsp plain flour
2tbsp tomato puree
500ml lamb stock
1tbsp soy sauce
salt
pepper

For the tumbled spuds
600g potatoes (Maris Pipers if possible)
15g butter
salt
pepper

1) Place a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and add the mince, spring onions, leeks and carrots, cook for 5 minutes until lightly coloured. Break up the mince with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

2) Stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds, stirring constantly. Add the tomato puree, lamb stock and soy sauce, then add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook uncovered for 40 minutes, stir regularly and add more stock if you think it needs it.

3) While the mixture is cooking, preheat the oven to 220c/200 fan,gas mark 7. Half fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to the boil. While the water is boiling peel the potatoes and cut them roughly into 2cm chunks, add to the water and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and drain the potatoes, then return to the pan and add the butter and seasoning. Then bash or lightly mash the potatoes.

4) Pour the lamb mince mixture into a shallow ovenproof dish and tumble the potatoes on top, season again if you want to. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling.