Stormy winter nights invite the comfort of a hot, delicious, nutritious and hearty casserole with the minimum of fuss as it’s easy to make ahead, and quick to heat up…shepherd’s pie scores 100% in all these categories.  Mom’s love this one-pot for ease of making, kid’s love it for its gravy taste, men love it for its meaty heartiness.  Although this recipe calls for 2 lbs of ground beef, traditionally this dish was made with leftover beef roast if you’re thinking English, or leftover lamb roast if you’re thinking Irish.  

Whether you favor peas or corn or another veggie, it’s always topped with leftover mashed potatoes.  Here I have used roasted potato insides leftover from making potato skins, plus an additional baked potato (you will note that I always leave the potato skins on my potato, whether making mashed, roasted, fried, hashed or boiled potatoes…for greater nutrient value…but I find skins add an earthier, richer flavor to whatever potato dish I’m making).  When I made the potato skins last week, I scooped out the insides and mashed them with a little butter and cream, seasoned with salt and pepper, then set them aside in the refrigerator until I was ready to put my shepherds pie together.  Anyone familiar with twice-baked potatoes will recognize this potato recipe as a rich version of that dish.

So if you are thinking of making a pot roast, plan some extra leftover meat and potatoes intentionally so that you can make this classic dish the next day to show how brilliant and thrifty you are!

Shepherds Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef or lamb
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 lb corn or peas, frozen or fresh
• 1 lb fresh sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme if desired
• 2 or 3 medium russet or Idaho potatoes, baked or boiled with a mashed clove of peeled garlic if you desire garlic mashed potatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup milk or cream
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese if desired
• sprinkle of paprika

In a 4 quart pot or dutch oven, brown the ground beef.  Add the onions and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture in the pot and stir to cook for a minute.  Add beef stock and stir to thicken, cooking for another 5 minutes.  Season to taste with Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt and pepper.  There should only be enough gravy to hold the casserole together, this is not a stew or soup!

Add corn or other veggie, as a layer on top of the meat/mushroom layer.

Meanwhile, mash-up the cooked potatoes (and garlic if you used it) with butter, cream or milk, and sour cream.  I like to leave mine a bit chunky, but you can certainly mash it finely if you prefer.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top the casserole with the mashed potato mixture, sealing it to the edges.  Sprinkle with paprika or shredded cheddar cheese.

When ready to serve, bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until bubbling and golden brown on top.