Shepard's Pie

On St. Patrick's Day,  I wanted to make something "Irish"... or close to it. I turned to one of my favorite food blogs Food Wishes by the wonderful Chef John. I absolutely love this blog and Chef John is wonderful in presenting recipes that are both delicious and easy to follow. But, back to St. Patrick's Day...  I decided to make Chef John's Shepard's Pie... though, he would call it a "Cow Pie" because I used ground beef instead of ground lamb.

Side Note - I've never tried lamb. Can you believe that? That's a food goal of mine this year - to try lamb!

This is a great one-dish recipe for a busy weekday. I also found it could be prepared in advance and then popped in the oven at a later time. I would suggest really investing time in looking for a nice aged Irish white cheddar cheese... it does make a difference. :-)

Shepard's Pie 

by Chef John from foodwishes.com

Ingredients:

For lamb mixture:

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 diced onion

2 pounds lean ground lamb

1/3 cup flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp minced fresh rosemary

3 cloves minced garlic

1 tbsp ketchup

2 1/2 cups water or broth (use more or less to adjust thickness as needed)
12 oz bag frozen peas and carrots, thawed, drained well

For the potato topping:

2 1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/4 pound Irish cheddar

1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tbsp milk

Directions:

1. Place cubed potatoes and garlic in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3. Brown ground beef over medium heat in a skillet. Stir in flour, mixing with beef drippings.
4. Add beef broth, ketchup and vegetables. Stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, until thick.
5. Transfer beef mixture into an oven-proof casserole dish.
6. Drain potatoes and smash them a little bit before adding 1/4 cup of grated cheese and sour cream. Mash together until smooth.
7. Spoon potatoes onto the middle of the meat mixture. With a fork, spread potatoes from the center to the edges to form the top layer.
8. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.