Comfort Food: Shepherd's Pie

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Usually Shepherd’s Pie also called "Cottage Pie," is made with leftover vegetables and  bits and scrapes of leftover food  sauteed up with some ground beef, onions, tomatoes and topped with mashed potatoes. Back in the day  living in Baltimore, this dish was called “poor man’s food.” The ingredients were cheap, the meal filling and tasty.

I am taking my father’s basic recipe and bringing it up to date with a couple of twists and turns and you can add to it to make it your own for one delicious and savory one dish, casserole, meal. And it takes you only 20 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to cook and you are done.

Shepherd’s Pie

Preheat oven to: 375° Fahrenheit

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds white potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 tablespoons unsalt butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds ground beef, 85/15
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 cup diced tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons Herbs de Province
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beef stock or broth
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire,
• 1/2 cup frozen garden peas
• 1/2 cup sweet corn
• Sweet Paprika
• Freshly chopped parsley

Preparation:

1. Bring potatoes and salted water to boil for about 15 minutes, remove from heat and drain
2. Place potatoes in a large mixing bowl, add butter, buttermilk, sour cream, salt and pepper and mash and whip until smooth.
3. Preheat Olive Oil in a large skillet (10 inch) over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes, add ground beef, salt, pepper cumin, give it a good stir. add  onions, green peppers, celery, carrots, tomatoes and Herbs de Province, cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to blend, combine the broth and Worcestershire sauce, add to meat mixture, and stir in the green peas and corn.
5. Pour mixture into a round or oblong casserole dish, spread potatoes mixture evenly over meat, sprinkle paprika over potatoes... Place on middle of preheated 375° Fahrenheit oven, bake for about 10 minutes. Turn oven to broiler and brown  until potatoes are a golden brown, about 5 or more mintues. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Suggestion:

Elminate the meat, add  cheese and mushrooms for protein for your "Meatless Mondays"