Shepherd's Pie

I made this Shepherd’s Pie using the recipe from The Dean & Deluca’s cookbook. However, I made a couple of substitutions to their recipe. For instance, I used beef instead of lamb, and I also used green peas as opposed to corn. This is another great comfort food and it’s so easy to prepare.


Recipe adapted from The Dean & Deluca Cookbook

Shepherd's Pie-Cottage Pie
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients

2 Large Baking Potatoes (450 g), peeled
½ Cup Milk
½ Stick (1/4 Cup) Butter
1 ½ tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
450 g Ground Beef
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 ½ tsp Dried Parsley
1 ½ Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
4 tsp Flour
½ Cup Minced Onion
½ Cup Diced Carrot
¼ Cup White Wine
½ Cup Beef Stock
1 Cup Green Peas

Method

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil, and cook potatoes for about 40 minutes, until cooked through. Drain potatoes and place in a bowl. Mash them with the milk and 2 Tbsp of the butter. Season the potatoes with ½ tsp of the salt. Set aside.

Melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, until beef is well browned. Season with the remaining salt, oregano, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and then sprinkle mixture with 2 tsp of the flour. Stir again and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour excess grease out of pan.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Add the onion and carrot to pan and cook over moderate heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tsp of flour and stir. Increase the heat slightly, and add white wine and beef stock, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any caramelized bits. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half.

Add the beef mixture and peas. Stir well and cook another 3 to 4 minutes. (Enough of the liquid should have evaporated that a nice thick sauce holds the mixture together.)

Butter a casserole dish well and spread beef mixture over the bottom. Cover the beef with the mashed potatoes. Bake the casserole, uncovered, in the oven for 40 minutes, until heated through. Serve immediately.

Serves 4