English Shepherd’s Pie

Traditionally a way of using up leftover roast meat, this can be made with diced or minced lamb – either way, it’s a winner.
 

Mash hits

It was a piece of kitchen equipment that gave rise to the modern version of this meat and-mash dish. In the 1870s, the newfangled mincing machine made short work of processing offcuts of meat and a classic was born. It is widely believed that the dish came from the north of England and Scotland, where there are large numbers of sheep. Shepherd’s pie, as the name suggests, uses mutton or lamb, and is not to be confused with cottage pie, which contains minced beef. A regional variation is the Cumberland pie, which includes a layer of cheese and bread crumbs on top of the mashed potato.

Porto-Style Tripe

Citizens of Porto are known throughout Portugal (and, indeed, Europe) as “tripe eaters.” Porto was home to the Portuguese navy and, for most of the 18th century, an important port for the British navy. Porto supplied the ships with huge quantities of salt beef, leaving the city with only the trimmings and innards, which evolved into this famous dish. The ingredient list might look daunting, but it's actually easy to prepare – it just requires lots of time and lots of pots. You can simplify it by eliminating some of the traditional meat ingredients. You can also substitute the calf's or cow's foot with veal shank. Tripe lovers will probably want to increase the tripe by up to double the amount. Porto-Style Tripe is always served with white rice.

Feeling Lazy Cabbage Roll Casserole

Steak Tartare with Garlic Scapes & Parmesan

Slow Cooker Balsamic-Braised Pot Roast

Weeknight entertaining is a breeze when you put your slow cooker to work! Adding a bit of flour to the sauce at the end of cooking turns it into a rich gravy to serve alongside the roast. Green peas and mashed sweet potatoes make great accompaniments to this hearty cold-weather dish.

Slow Cooker Sweet-and-Sour Brisket

Brisket is a hearty main often favoured for Sunday dinners. Here, it's a fuss-free weeknight option—just throw the ingredients together in the morning and come home to fall-apart-tender meat. Serve with mashed potatoes and tender-crisp sautéed green beans to round out the meal.

East Coast Donair

True Maritimers know lettuce doesn't really belong on a donair—after all, it's about the spiced meat and sweet, garlicky sauce—but adding this leafy green cuts the richness and provides great crunch.

Chunky Chili with Cheddar Cornbread

Hearty Italian Pot Roast

To get that rich, dark sauce, it's best to brown the meat before braising. The process takes a little time, but it layers in the flavour. Adding cocoa powder enriches the dish, too.