Tom Parker Bowles' Traditional English Holiday Dishes

Tom Parket Bowles' shares some of his favorite traditional English holiday dishes:

• Real English Shepherds Pie

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. lamb, minced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 large carrot, diced

1 beef stock cube

1 lb. chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon corn flour

3 tablespoons tomato puree

Pinch of salt and pepper

2 lb. potatoes

1 stick butter

Method

This is how to make a real English shepherds pie, made with lamb. If made with beef, it would be known as cottage pie.

Firstly, heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and carrot and cook until soft. Add minced lamb and stock cube, then cook until the mince is brown and shows a crumbly texture. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato puree, and add the corn flour. Leave to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about fifteen minutes, or until thickened.

Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes and boil until soft, then mash them with the butter and salt and pepper to taste.

• English Trifle

Ingredients

1 (8") sponge layer or 2 pkgs. lady fingers

1 1/2 c. chopped strawberries

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. sherry

2 c. heavy cream, whipped

3 c. custard, cold (I use Bird's English Dessert Mix, using 4 tbsp. each of mix & sugar, 2 1/2 c. milk) 7 whole strawberries & mint leaves (garnish)

Method

Put sponge cake or lady fingers in small pieces in the bottom of a glass serving bowl. Top with strawberries, sugar and sherry. Spoon in cold custard. Top with whipped cream and garnish with mint leaves and whole berries. Chill until ready to serve. Trifle can also be made in individual parfait glasses. Other fruits may be added in place of all or part of the strawberries. However, the total amount should not excess 1 1/2 cups. Drained fruit cocktail may be used.

Serves about 10 or 12. Chopped nuts may be added, if desired.