Name: Shepherds Pie
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: British Cuisine
Ingredients: 2 lbs potatoes , peeled and quartered; 0.5 cup butter; 1.5 cup medium onion, chopped; 2 cup vegetables—diced carrots, corn, peas; 1.5 lbs ground round beef; 0.5 cup beef broth; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 qty Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

Shepherd's Pie is an English dish that is usually prepared with lamb. A shepherd's pie is essentially a casserole with a layer of cooked meat and vegetables, covered with mashed potatoes, and baked in the oven until the mashed potatoes are nicely browned. Regardless of what you call it, get a mouthful of mashed potatoes, some crispy pieces, meat, and veggies all in one bite and it'll be a wholesome experience.

Shepherds Pie 

To boil the potatoes, place the peeled and quartered potatoes in medium sized pot. Cover with at least an inch of cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender (about 20 minutes).

To saute vegetables, while the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until tender, about 6 to 10 minutes.  If you are including vegetables, add them according to their cooking time. Carrots should be cooked with the onions, because they take as long to cook as the onions do.  If you are including peas or corn, add them toward the end of the cooking of the onions, or after the meat starts to cook, as they take very little cooking time.

Add ground beef to the pan with the onions and vegetables. Cook until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper.  Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Bring the broth to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth if necessary to keep the meat from drying out.

When the potatoes are done cooking (a fork can easily pierce), remove them from the pot and place them in a bowl with the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter. Mash with a fork or potato masher, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Layer the meat mixture and mashed potatoes in a casserole dish. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread the beef, onions, and vegetables (if using) in an even layer in a large baking dish (9x13 casserole). Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the ground beef. Rough up the surface of the mashed potatoes with a fork so there are peaks that will get well browned. You can even use a fork to make creative designs in the mashed potatoes.

Place in a 400°F oven and cook until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. If necessary, broil for the last few minutes to help the surface of the mashed potatoes brown.  (Be careful when broiling using Pyrex or glass dishes, they have been known to shatter under the high heat of the broiler. It's not a worry if you are using a ceramic or metal casserole dish.)

Shepherds Pie

Ingredients

Directions

Reviews ( 0 )

Useful links

Recipes