Shepherd’s Pie

Start by gently sautéing lamb and pork before blending together with sweet onions and carrots. Simmer in a sauce made from rich tomato paste, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and hearty beef stock then top with a luscious bed of creamy mashed potatoes and bake until hot and bubbly. Comfort does have a name and it’s Shepherd’s Pie!

Neither my Mom nor my Grandmothers were prone to waste leftovers so I learned from the best. When faced with a large amount of leftover mashed potatoes, it can mean one of two things in my kitchen – potato soup or Shepherd’s Pie. There are so many versions of this dish with its Irish roots. Cottage Pie is similar but made with beef while Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb. Our version has both ground lamb and pork along with carrots and onions, sautéed in olive oil. Stir into a rich gravy made from beef stock, tomato paste, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Then spread a delightful layer of mashed potatoes over the top and bake.

You’ll need about 4 cups of mashed potatoes so if you don’t have enough (or any) leftovers on hand you can make a full batch while you’re cooking the meat and vegetables.

Your “meat and potatoes” folks will love this classic casserole. It’s a satisfying, stick to your ribs kind of meal!

Shepherd’s Pie

For the mashed potato topping:

2 to 2-½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3” pieces

2-½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

6 tablespoons butter

½ to ¾ cup half and half

For the meat filling:

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound ground lamb

1 pound ground pork

1-½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 cup chopped sweet onion, about 1 small sweet onion

1-½ cups chopped carrots, about 3 carrots

4-½ tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups beef stock

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon concentrated beef base

For the mashed potatoes:

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan or stockpot and cover with cold water. Add 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt and cook the potatoes over medium heat until they are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon or spider transfer the cooked potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and butter. Mash the potatoes adding enough half and half to make the potatoes creamy and spreadable – a few lumps are fine! Check for seasoning, adding more kosher salt and black pepper if needed.

Makes about 4 cups of mashed potatoes.

For the meat filling:

Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large, deep ovenproof skillet* and warm the olive oil over medium heat. When the olive oil is hot add the ground lamb, the pork along with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt plus the black pepper. Cook until the meat is cooked through and browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a bowl and drain off any juices in the pan. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium-heat. Toss in the chopped onions and carrots and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Return the cooked lamb and pork to the skillet and stir in the tomato paste. Add the flour, stirring to coat the meat and vegetables.

Pour in the beef stock along with the Worcestershire sauce and the concentrated beef base, stirring to mix well. Continue cooking over medium heat until the sauce has thickened, stirring frequently. Check for seasoning, adding the remaining kosher salt if needed.

Remove the meat filling from the heat and spoon the mashed potatoes over the top, spreading to cover.

Place the Shepherd’s Pie in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes until the meat filling is bubbling up.

Serves 6.

*Use a deep skillet that goes from stovetop to oven, about 4 quart capacity. I use one that’s about 3” deep and 10-½ “diameter.