SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH MUSHROOM ONION GRAVY

By á-14060

Ingredients

• 2 pounds russet potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• Salt
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup low-sodium beef stock
• 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 2 zucchini, julienned
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 teaspoon Hungarian hot paprika, plus more for garnish
• 4 ounces Havarti cheese, grated
• Mushroom Onion Gravy, recipe follows

Preparation

Step 1

Mushroom Onion Gravy, recipe follows
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes and crushed garlic with enough water to cover by 1-inch. Add some salt and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-high and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes, return to pot, and mash together with 3 tablespoons of the butter and heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
In a large pan on medium- high heat, combine 1 tablespoon and 1 tablespoon oil. When butter has melted, add beef, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste and cook until meat is brown. Stir in tomato paste and sauté for a few minutes. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Season and remove mixture to a bowl. In the same pan, add remaining butter and oil and sauté onions until almost tender, then add red bell pepper, zucchini, carrots and paprika. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
To assemble: in a 9 by 12 inch baking dish layer half of beef, pressing down to pack in, then sprinkle the cheese on evenly. Pour the remaining half of the beef over the cheese and press down. Next, add the sautéed vegetables and top with mashed potatoes, spreading out with a spatula or the back of a spoon to even out and to form decorative peaks and valleys. Sprinkle top with paprika and bake for 30 minutes or until edges on potatoes turn golden brown. Serve with mushroom gravy.

Sunny Anderson