Shepard’s Pie
Mashed potatoes
For the meat filling:
Directions
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs. Heat the half and half and leave the butter out to soften.. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper, nutmeg and continue to mash until smooth. Keep warm
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a large saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and sauté just until they begin to take on color. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the beef, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Add the salsa .Combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
Add the corn and peas to the beef mixture and combine and spread evenly into a casserole pan, add cheese on top. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a sheet pan and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown.
This is a variation on the classic Shepard’s Pie.