A traditional English trifle meets Shepard's Pie

[Tibby]

@Mangetout

I might give this a try.

Did you know that mince pies (you know, the sweet ones filled with a sweetened mixture of dried fruits) used to contain beef mince?

My mum made her incredibly delicious mince pies with beef suet all her life, but apparently, in days of old, the recipe did indeed call for actual meat. She also made (always from scratch) the most succulent Steak & Kidney pie, Sheppard’s pie, Fish & Chips (hint: use real cod), trifle (with Lady Fingers, jam and custard), ginger bread & warm Birds Custard, bubble & squeak, fruit tarts, sausage rolls…and much more, on this side of the pond…and maybe on the other side of the pond, though she hasn’t lived there since '45 (war bride, bomb alley survivor).

Although her cooking days are past tense, I try to keep her Anglo-inspired culinary oeuvre alive and well in our family as best I can (though certainly not in her league…did I mention how light, flaky and to-die-for her crusts were?). In fact, just last night I made a bloody good roast beef, Yorkshire Pudding and roast potatoes (hint: par boil the quartered potatoes X 10 minutes, then shake vigorously in the colander before placing them in the searing hot drippings and roasting for an additional hour or so, basting a few times in the process (shaking the potatoes roughens the outside, allowing for greater crispiness). Not bad for a Yank, if I do say so myself) .

[devilsknew]

I ask you, have you ever had a chili sundae?

@Tony Paco's Menu

Chili Sunday -A sundae you eat before dinner! Tony Packo’s world-famous chili, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese, all layered into a sundae glass, and served with warm taco chips on the side.

That’s fruit, dairy, meat, and grain… and I bet you would enjoy it. It’s a fruit, dairy, meat and grain trifle.

[alphaboi867]

@devilsknew

I ask you, have you ever had a chili sundae?
That’s fruit, dairy, meat, and grain… and I bet you would enjoy it. It’s a fruit, dairy, meat and grain trifle.

I originally read that as sour ice cream and was so intrigued I googled Tony Packo’s because I’ve never heard of such a thing. :smack: The menu does look pretty good.

[Cat_Whisperer]

I think it would be possible to make this work (sweet and savoury can be combined successfully), but I don’t think the “recipe” Rachel used would work. Maybe some of our more culinary Dopers could figure this out.

[Soul_Brother_Number_Two]

I, too, thought it another abomination from that smirking Hell’s minion Rachel Ray.

[pulykamell]

@Cat_Whisperer

I think it would be possible to make this work (sweet and savoury can be combined successfully), but I don’t think the “recipe” Rachel used would work. Maybe some of our more culinary Dopers could figure this out.

Minus the ladyfingers, it sounds like it could be pretty easily made to taste good. The custard layer would have to be toned down on the sugar to make a savory custard. But I’m not sure what could be done with the ladyfingers. If we could substitute biscuits or a similar dough for those layers, we could do it. But straight ladyfingers might be to much on the sugar. You never know, though. It might just be close enough to work. But, like you said, if using an undoctored recipe for trifle and shepard’s pie, this should end up a mess.