Shepherd Pie Recipe

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s pie is a hearty and comforting dish made with ground lamb or beef, vegetables, and mashed potatoes. Here’s a recipe for a delicious and satisfying shepherd’s pie:

Ingredients:

• For the filling:
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery rib, finely chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¾ teaspoon dried rosemary (or 2 sprigs fresh thyme + 1 sprig rosemary)
  • 1 pound ground lamb or beef
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 ½ cups beef broth
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • ½ cup frozen corn
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• For the mashed potatoes:
  • 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • ½ cup milk (or more for desired consistency)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cooking Guide:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare the filling: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme and rosemary and cook for an additional minute.
3. Brown the meat: Add the ground lamb or beef to the pan and break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the meat is browned.
4. Thicken the sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
5. Deglaze the pan: Pour in the beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
6. Stir in the vegetables: Add the frozen peas and corn to the filling and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Prepare the mashed potatoes: While the filling simmers, cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
8. Mash the potatoes: Add the milk and butter to the potatoes and mash until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Assemble the pie: Transfer the meat filling to a baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, spreading evenly to cover the filling.
10. Bake: Bake the shepherd’s pie for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Tips:

• You can use ground lamb or beef for this recipe. Lamb is the traditional choice for shepherd’s pie, but ground beef works well as a substitute.
• If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme and 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary instead.
• For a richer flavor, you can use brown butter for the mashed potatoes. To brown butter, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma.
• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through.
• You can add other vegetables to the filling, such as chopped mushrooms, green beans, or lentils.
• Feel free to experiment with different cheeses on top of the mashed potatoes before baking, such as cheddar cheese, Gruyere cheese, or Parmesan cheese.