Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s Pie wasn’t something I ate as a child. I remember seeing the frozen dinner version of it, but I had never eaten one before. Then I watched one being made on the Food Network, what’s not to love? Savory beef with vegetables, topped off with cream mashed potatoes – it looked like heavenly comfort food for winter that I just knew I wanted to make my version of it.
Really, anything topped with a generous layer of cheesy mashed potatoes can’t be bad. If you have time to prep in advance, simply make it, assemble it and then freeze it. Pull it out and bake it anytime you want a hot meal. What could be easier?
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients:
mashed potatoes ingredients:
3 russet potatoes, peeled quartered
3/4 cup whole milk
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and pepper
pie ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 container of mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 lbs ground beef
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan for the top
2 Tablespoons butter
Instructions:
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Over high heat, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes, until tender. Drain, do not rinse.
Return potatoes to pot and mash with milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a skillet heat the olive oil and butter. Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms and garlic. Saute until soft.
Add the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and oregano. Cook until the beef is no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon the filling into a 9×9 baking dish.
Top with the mashed potatoes, leaving a little space along the edges.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and dot with butter.
Place the dish onto a baking sheet in case it bubbles over. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve.
Hiya!
If I freeze the dish, and then bring it out later to cook, assuming that I have let it defrost in the fridge for a day, how long should I bake it? Should it be the same? Or should I add a little more time and/or heat because it’s colder than it normally would be?
Thanks for your help & your great recipes!
ohhh – comfort food! i was away camping for the last few days and came home to my lovely package and cards! so thoughtful of you, and thanks so much yet again…
Wow, this is GOOD! It was a hit with the whole family, even with my son who is wary of carrots and mushrooms. I know this is an adapted recipe from someone else, but I must thank you for bringing my attention to it. I will be making it again and again, for sure!
question: is the 2 teaspoons kosher salt for the boiling water? Just checking for next time…