Shepherd's Pie
NOT your mother's Shepherd's Pie! This is decadent Shepherd's pie adapted from a Cheesecake Factory knock off.@mostdeliciouslife.com
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons oil, divided
- 1½ cups white mushrooms chopped
- 8 ounce red wine *can substitute beef broth, I use cooking wine found by the vinegar at your grocery store.
- ½ cup carrots julienned or shredded
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 pound ground lamb or beef I prefer ground beef
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 Tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 Tablespoons flour for GF use 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce for GF make sure your brand is safe
- 1 cup beef stock for GF make sure it is gluten free
- 2 medium zucchini julienned
- salt & pepper to taste
- 6 cups mashed potatoes 6 medium yellow potatoes, 4T butter, ½ cup cream, salt & pepper
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 Tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- *If you happen to have leftover mashed potatoes, skip to step 2.Boil diced potatoes in salted water until soft, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°. Butter large casserole dish.
- In large skillet, heat 1T oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms until soft and brown. Add ¼ cup red wine (or beef broth) to the hot pan, stirring and scraping the pan till all the liquid cooks off. Remove mushrooms to a plate.
- Add 1T remaining oil to the skillet and heat to medium.
- Saute carrots until beginning to soften, then add onion and garlic.
- When onions are soft add ground meat and brown, breaking meat into large chunks.
- When meat is browned, season with salt, pepper and thyme. Add mushrooms, peas and 1T butter.
- Sprinkle mixture with flour and stir. Then add tomato paste, Worcestershire and remaining ½ cup red wine (or beef broth).
- Cook and stir mixture for several minutes. Add beef stock and simmer until sauce is thick and somewhat reduced.
- Remove from heat and stir in zucchini. Season to taste.
- Pour meat mixture into casserole dish, lightly sprayed with oil.
- Drain and mash potatoes with butter, cream and salt & pepper.
- Spoon mashed potatoes over meat, spread and smooth the top. (At this point you can refrigerate or freeze the dish as desired. I freeze individual portions in ramekins).
- Brush potatoes with a beaten egg and sprinkle with parmesan. I also like to sprinkle more thyme on top.
- Bake casserole 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling and potatoes are browned. *Cook time will be longer for a cold or frozen dish.