Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

For meat & vegetables

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 clove garlic chopped
  • 2 onions finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots finely diced
  • 2 sticks celery finely diced

For gravy/to finish filling

  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons white flour
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ⅓ cup red wine OR more broth if avoiding alcohol
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • ½ teaspoon finely chopped thyme
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

For topping

Instructions

  • Brown meat and vegetables:
  • Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet. Brown the ground meat, then add the chopped vegetables and sauté until softened.
  • Season and deglaze the pan:
  • Sprinkle salt, paprika, pepper and flour over the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring all the time, until it smells roasted (about 1 minute). Pour in the red wine (OR beef broth if you prefer!), scratching any browned bits off the bottom.
  • Finish filling and cool:
  • Then stir in broth, herbs and peas, simmer 4-5 minutes and then let cool in a 7x11 inch baking dish.
  • Prep mash:
  • In the meantime, make your favorite mashed potatoes. You need about 4 cups of mash to top off the casserole. About 1.5 pounds of peeled potatoes should yield enough.
  • Bake pie:
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the mashed potatoes over the cold filling. (Be careful not to mix up the two.) Criss-cross with a fork for a great look and crispy edges! Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until golden (I recommend baking on a lined baking sheet to catch any spills).