Shepherd Pie

Shepherd’s Pie is a comforting dish made with ground beef and lamb, the perfect spice combination, and a red wine reduction. It is topped with a buttery, creamy scallion mashed potato and a sprinkle of sharp cheddar.

My love of Shepherds Pie

The first time I ever had Shepherds Pie was at a little brewpub on our honeymoon in Burlington, Vermont.  It was heavenly.  The next time I partook of this tasty one-dish meal was in Ireland, six months pregnant on a bus tour through the British Isles; this time, my shepherd’s pie was not so tasty.  Or maybe it was the bus,  the pregnancy, and being unable to drink with everyone else! At some point, I came up with my own recipe for shepherd’s pie, but then I was told because I use ground beef, it’s actually cottage pie, not shepherd’s pie, which uses lamb in the recipe. The version I’m sharing today was recommended by cousin Sara; it’s from Michael Chiarello.  Michael’s recipe uses a combination of lamb and beef.  Perfect!  I did mess with the process and left out one ingredient, but basically, it’s the same idea.  I prefer peas as a layer in the pie. I think I would do that the next time I make it.  Oh yeah, and I did my mashed potatoes my way, so I adapted this recipe to fit my liking.  I think you can, too!  Don’t leave the cinnamon out unless you have an allergy. I know it may sound weird, but it’s perfect for this recipe! Shepherd’s Pie is a comforting dish made with ground beef and lamb, the perfect spice combination, and a red wine reduction. It is topped with a buttery, creamy scallion mashed potato and a sprinkle of sharp cheddar.

If you go to the original recipe you will see that the meat is browned then remove and added back in later.  Ain’t nobody got time for that!  Here is my little trick for skipping this step.  I browned my onions and mushrooms first then scooched them to the side and  added the ground beef and lamb to the pan, once the meat was browned I mix it all together and moved on with the next step of the recipe.  If you use an oven proof skillet there is no need to put the meat layer of this pie into a baking dish you can leave it right in the pan and add the mashed potato layer, bake, and eat!

Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through!
an old Irish saying ‘wish for a friend’

Happy St Patrick’s Day! Sheila

Shepherds Pie

Sheila

Adapted from Michael Chiarello’s Food Network recipe

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Irish

Servings 6 servings

Calories 693 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 pound ground Beef
• 1/2 pound ground Lamb
• 1 cup chopped Onion
• 3 Carrots peeled and grated
• 8 ounce container Mini Portobello or Cremini Mushrooms
• 1 tbsp fresh Thyme chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh Parsley chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup Red Wine like a Cabernet or a Merlot
• 1 1/2 cups Beef Stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Mashed Potatoes

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 4 tbsp Butter
• 1/4 cup Half and Half or milk
• Salt and fresh ground Pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped Scallions
• 1 cup grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Brown the onions and mushrooms in the oil. When soft and brown on the edges, push them to one side of the pan and add the meat to the open space. Saute for 5 minutes or until brown and no longer pink. Mix meat in the pan with mushrooms and onions, then add carrot, thyme, and parsley. Sprinkle with cinnamon and flour and stir; the mixture will be pasty from flour. Add in wine and beef stock. Continue to stir while cooking over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
• Peel potatoes, cut them into large, even-sized pieces, and place them in a pot of cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil and allow the potatoes to cook until they are fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
• When the potatoes are done, drain them and place the pot back on a warm burner (even though it's turned off). Add butter and milk, then mash potatoes into a puree. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Fold scallions into pureed potatoes.
• Place meat mixture in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish, spread potatoes over top, and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Place dish in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and potatoes are browning around the edges.

Notes

Serve with a vegetable (I like to serve with peas.) and a crusty loaf of bread!

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 693kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 37gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 136mgSodium: 822mgPotassium: 1318mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5267IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 199mgIron: 5mg

Keyword ground beef, lamb, main dish, potatoes, vegetables

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