Shepherd's Pie with Cheese-Crusted Leeks

A small twist on an old favourite, this, courtesy of Delia and her reassuringly non-bonkers How to Cook, Book Two. In our house, Tuesday's dinner is often linked to Sunday's dinner: there are only two of us, but a roasting joint worth the name will feed at least four. This in turn means there is often left-over lamb or beef, and variations on bolognese, a day or two later.

The difference in this variation comes with the topping: I read the recipe carefully to make sure I definitely didn't need to pre-cook the leeks (you don't) which I was worried might thus end up being slightly crunchier than intended. In fact they cook perfectly, effectively steaming in the moisture of the pie, I imagine, while the cheese browns on top. That was very neat, a portion of veg without the need for any extra pans, and - obviously - extra cheese, which is never something I'd reject out of hand.

I can see this being a handy dish to alternate with the River Cottage suggestion which I normally base my shepherd's pie on, depending on the presence of leeks in the rack.