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Shepherd's Pie

Welcome back! 
Today, we have a very iconic dish from England: Shepherd's Pie! Despite the name "shepherd's pie", it's not always made with lamb, as the dish originated as just "cottage pie", which applied to both beef and lamb. The "pie" comes from the crust of mashed potatoes, which sometimes is just at the top (like we did) or all around the meat, like an actual pie crust. Overall, it's a great dish that, although a bit complicated in the different parts, is totally worth making!

Shepherd's Pie


Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:

Filling:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 pound ground beef/lamb
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1 1/2 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Mashed Potato Top:
  • 1 1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and cut
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste
And...
  • More parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Directions:

  1. Prepare the meat filling:
    1. In a pan, saute the onion with the oil.
    2. Once the onion is soft and the flavor comes out, add the ground beef/lamb and cook until browned.
    3. Add in the garlic and mix.
    4. One at a time, add in the rest of the ingredients, mixing thoroughly in between.
  2. Prepare the mashed potatoes:
    1. Steam the potatoes.
    2. Take them out and mash them. Add in the other ingredients and mix/mash them together thoroughly.
  3. Assemble:
    1. In a dish, put the meat filling in an even layer.

    2. Put the mashed potatoes on top in another even layer.
    3. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top.
  4. Bake the whole thing in the oven at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until golden.
We did use beef in this version because ground lamb is rather hard to find at the mainstream grocery stores, and it still tasted great! However, if you wanted a super authentic Shepherd's Pie and have the machinery, you could grind your own lamb to use. That would definitely bring things up a level! Otherwise, it's actually quite an accessible recipe, with all pretty common ingredients.

-Chefpo
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