Shepherds Pie

The other night I made shepherds pie for dinner, because believe it or not, Jason actually requested something for dinner. It doesn’t happen very often, and when it does, I jump on it! Sometimes it just gets hard trying to think of something new that we haven’t had in awhile. Usually he requests tacos, which is one of his favorite meals, but on Sunday he turned to me said “I think we should have shepherd’s pie this week.” So that’s what we did. He must have been in a meat and potatoes mood, not that he ever isn’t. Jason likes most things Irish, as he is 50% Irish. Most of the traditional foods Americans eat around St. Patrick’s Day he loves.

 

Shepherd’s pie is delicious dish that has a meat and vegetable mixture on the bottom with mashed potatoes on top, and then baked in the oven. I adapted this dish from a recipe from Rachel Ray’s 30 minute Shepherd’s Pie. I do the meat part mostly the same, I just switched up the mashed potatoes. To start, begin with the potatoes, and peel and cut into large chunks, then put in a pot of boiling water with a little salt. Once potatoes are fork tender, drain, and begin mashing the potatoes. I use a ricer, but whatever method you normally use to mash potatoes will work. Add some milk, butter, and some salt and pepper to your potatoes and set aside.

For the meat portion of this dish start by adding your ground beef to a skillet over medium heat and cook until browned. Add some diced carrots and onion to the pan and cook until those are tender or the onions are translucent. Then drain the beef and vegetable mixture and set aside. In the same skillet, add a couple tablespoons of butter and let it melt, then add some flour to make a roux. Once butter and flour are mixed together, slowly add the beef broth and continually stir so there are no lumps in the sauce. Continue this until all the broth has been incorporated. Then add Worcestershire sauce and stir until incorporated. Once sauce is hot and mixed well add beef mixture back in and stir to combine. Dump beef mixture into a casserole dish, then top with mashed potatoes. Put casserole in oven on high broil about 6-8 inches from top of oven, and broil until potatoes are beginning to turn golden brown. Serve immediately.

Shepherd’s Pie

• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ¾ pounds ground beef
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tsp Worcestershire
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 1 tsp sweet paprika

 

Begin with the potatoes, and peel and cut into large chunks, then put in a pot of boiling water with a little salt. Once potatoes are fork tender, drain, and begin mashing the potatoes. Add some milk, butter, and some salt and pepper to your potatoes and set aside. For the meat start by adding the ground beef to a skillet over medium heat and cook until browned. Add some diced carrots and onion to the pan and cook until those are tender or the onions are translucent. Then drain the beef and vegetable mixture and set aside. In the same skillet, add a couple tablespoons of butter and let it melt, then add some flour to make a roux. Once butter and flour are mixed together, slowly add the beef broth and continually stir so there are no lumps in the sauce. Continue this until all the broth has been incorporated. Then add Worcestershire sauce and stir until incorporated. Once sauce is hot and mixed well add beef mixture back in and stir to combine. Dump beef mixture into a casserole dish, then top with mashed potatoes. Put casserole in oven on high broil about 6-8 inches from top of oven, and broil until potatoes are beginning to turn golden brown. Serve immediately.