Like most of my favorite recipes, I modeled this recipe after an adventure. When I was 22 I spent a couple of weeks with my dear friend from England at her family home (and Turkey farm!) in Kenya. This shepherd's pie was like none I had ever had before and it was burned into my brain. So Rosemary, here is my attempt! This delicious, hearty and comforting meal is sure to please both little ones and adults alike. Perfect for a weekend dinner with friends, or make ahead for an easy meal or leftovers during the week. What you'll need:Start by getting your washed potatoes going in cold water. (The cold water allows the whole potatoes to come to temp at the same time, preventing undercooked centers). Use whatever potatoes you have on hand, russets, reds, Yukon golds, anything you like. Peel hem if you must, but I like the rustic texture that the peels give the dish. Dice up half an onion. Red, yellow or white is fine. Whatever you have! Also dice up 3 stalks of celery. Sautee in your choice of fat with salt and pepper. By now you know how much I love the smell of onions cooking in butter so I used a small knob of butter, but olive or coconut oil would work great too. Add in your carrots and continue to Sautee until they begin to soften slightly. They will finish cooking when you bake the dish so they can still be slightly crunchy. Once they're slightly soft, set the veggies aside in a large mixing bowl and begin to brown your ground meat. I used beef today but have used turkey and venison in the past and it works well with whatever you have. Once it is fairly browned, add in some garlic and Italian seasoning. When you see no pink left use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat into the mixing bowl with the veggies. The slotted spoon helps remove the meat from any fat you have cooked off. Here I have pulled all of the meat in with the veggies and will discard all of the remaining fat into a tin can to let harden and cool and discard. You never want to pour hot fat down your sink as it will clog once it cools down. After the fat is poured off, put the tomato paste and 1/2-3/4 cup Chardonnay into the pan. Stir together while the alcohol cooks off, bringing any of the brown bits from the sides into the mix (that's flavor!). After a few minutes the alcohol flavor will subside and it will begin to thicken. Pour in 1 cup beef broth. Once properly stirred together, add my secret ingredient: cinnamon. I used about 1/2 tsp. You can vary according to your taste. I know it sounds strange but it adds a distinct and warm quality to the dish that I wouldn't skip. Once mixed in, it's hard to tell what it is, but you will miss it if you skip it. Turn off the heat and add in about 1/4 cup half and half or cream. You can even use sour cream if that's all you have. You just want to make the mixture slightly creamy. I almost forgot the peas! Steam them just slightly (they will cook more when it bakes) and stir in. Stir in your sauce... and transfer to a baking/casserole dish. By this point your potatoes will be soft enough to pierce with a fork. When they are turn them off and they will stay nice and warm until you are ready to make your mash. When you are ready just use the kid to pour off the water. Put the remaining butter and about 1-1.5 cups of milk into the hot pot where the butter will begin to melt. Don't forget salt and pepper (potatoes need a healthy dose of salt) and mash together. You want a fairly wet mash so add more milk until you get a mash that is slightly wetter than you would just eat as a side dish. Add in about half a cup of fresh grated Parmesan and stir in. Spread the mix over the meat and veggie mix. Sprinkle the top with a little extra Parmesan which will help it brown up nicely in the oven. Bake at 350 for about 45-60 minutes until bubbly. At the end a couple of minutes under the broiler can help it brown on top if that appeals to you. Enjoy!!!
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Author: KellyI love to cook and care for the people I love! Categories
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November 2020
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