Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s pie is a dish traditionally made with ground lamb and cottage pie is prepared with ground beef.  I’ve had it both ways.  One of my favorite variations of Shepherd’s pie combines ground lamb with ground beef for a fantastic balance of flavors.

Some might say adding ground beef to Shepherd’s Pie is a sacrilege.  However, in my humble opinion, my kitchen rule of thumb is to make any dish the way your family will enjoy it the most.  This recipe is prepared with ground lamb but, beef may be substituted it you prefer.  It’s delicious either way, and can be made in advance and baked when you’re ready to serve it.  It’s comfort food at it’s finest.

Ingredients you’ll need:
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 /2 cup diced carrot
seasoned salt and black pepper
olive oil
2 clove minced garlic
2 lb ground lamb [or ground beef] 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup low sodium beef stock
6 oz tomato paste
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp Mrs Dash Original
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tbsp butter, melted
Swiss Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray.  Prepare the Swiss Cheese Mashed Potatoes and set aside.   On the stove top, over medium-high heat, cook the diced onion and carrot in a couple of drizzles of olive oil.  Season with seasoned salt and black pepper to your taste.  Cook until the carrots are tender and the onion is beginning to brown, around 5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the ground lamb and cook until no pink remains.  Adjust the seasoned salt and black pepper, to your taste.  Drain any excess fat from the pan and add the Worcestershire, beef broth, tomato paste, fresh thyme, Mrs Dash and frozen baby peas.  Stir over low heat just until thickened 1-2 minutes.  Remove from the stovetop and add the chopped parsley.

Pour into the baking dish and spread the mashed potatoes on top.

Brush the top of the potatoes with melted butter.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbly.  Increase the oven to broil, if needed to brown the top. Rest for 5 minutes then serve.  Yield:  6 servings

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Shepherd's Pie

Servings 6

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet onion diced
• 1 /2 cup diced carrot
• seasoned salt and black pepper
• olive oil
• 2 clove minced garlic
• 2 lb ground lamb [or ground beef]
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup low sodium beef stock
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 2 tsp fresh thyme chopped
• 1 tsp Mrs Dash Original
• 1/2 cup frozen baby peas
• 1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
• 1 Tbsp butter melted
• Swiss Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Prepare the Swiss Cheese Mashed Potatoes and set aside.
3. On the stove top, over medium-high heat, cook the diced onion and carrot in a couple of drizzles of olive oil. Season with seasoned salt and black pepper to your taste. Cook until the carrots are tender and the onion is beginning to brown, around 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the ground lamb or beef and cook until no pink remains. Adjust the seasoned salt and black pepper, to your taste. Drain any excess fat from the pan.
5. Add the Worcestershire, beef broth, tomato paste, fresh thyme, Mrs Dash and frozen baby peas. Stir over low heat just until thickened 1-2 minutes. Remove from the stovetop and add the chopped parsley.
6. Pour into the baking dish and spread the mashed potatoes on top.
7. Brush the top of the potatoes with melted butter.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbly. Increase the oven to broil, if needed to brown the top.
9. Rest for 5 minutes then serve.