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!
Equipment
- Large saucepan or stockpot
- Ovenproof deep skillet, about 4 quart capacity
- Electric mixer or potato masher
Ingredients
- For the mashed potatoes:
- 2-½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3” pieces
- 2 to 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
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion, about 1 small sweet onion
- 1-½ cups chopped carrots, about 3 carrots
- 4-½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 to 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon concentrated beef base
Instructions
- 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 warm 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 2 tablespoons of the flour, all 3 tablespoons if you like a thicker base. Stir 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.
Notes
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.