St Patrick’s Day Recipe Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbls kosher salt, 
  • 4-5 potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 2 tbls unsalted butter
  • ½ cup Cream 
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 5 carrots diced 
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 pounds ground beef 85/15 fat
  • ⅓ cup tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • ¾ cup beef stock
  • 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Boil potatoes with a tablespoon of salt for about 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked. 
  2. Drain potatoes and using a masher, mash hot potatoes, add cream and the Cheddar cheese Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
  3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large oven-safe skillet or cast iron braised with high sides over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are just tender, about 10 minutes.
    • Optional: You can add peas into the mix. I did not choose to include them and they’re not necessary.
  4. Add the beef and cook, breaking the meat up with the wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Add the tomato paste and stir, cooking until it is well combined, another 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour. Cook for 1 minute. Add the beef stock and cook, stirring, until the liquid has thickened slightly. Add 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Remove the thyme and rosemary. Stir in the parsley. 
  6. Top the meat mixture with the mashed potatoes and spread them out using a fork. Transfer to a pre heated oven at 350F. Bake for about 30 minutes until the potatoes have browned a little and the edges are bubbling. Serve.