Shepherd's Pie

By Rander9576

This may seem like a lot of work but if you have everything prepped. Once you start it is less then 45 minutes from the time you begin with the meat. The reason for baking powder is it acts like a tenderizer. My husband is Scottish and this is the best Shepherd's Pie he has ever had.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ground beef 93%
• 1/2 tsp baking powder dissolved in 2 TBS water
• 1 tsp salt and pinch of pepper
• 2 lb russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1” pieces
• 1 TBS salt
• 4 tbs melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 green onions chopped fine
• 2 tsp veg oil
• 4 oz finely chopped mushrooms
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbs madeira wine
• 2 TBS flour.
• 1 1/4 cup beef broth
• 2 tsp Worchestier sauce, 2 sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf
• 2 finely chopped carrots
• Ziplock bag or pastry bag

Preparation

Step 1

Put ground beef in bowl. Dissolve baking powder in 2 TBS water and pour over meat. Add 1 tsp salt and pinch of pepper. Just gently work into meat and then set aside.

Put potatoes in pot and cover with water to approx 1" above potatoes. Add 1 TBS salt. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer. After approx 8 minutes check if potatoes are completely cooked by inserting a knife through one.
Drain in strainer and shake. Return to pan and put on low heat for approx 1 minute, to make sure they are dry, then mash. Remove from heat and add the 4 tbs melted butter. Mix one egg yolk with 1/2 cup milk and pour into potatoes . Mix. Add green onions , salt and pepper to taste. Mix again. Cover pot and set aside.

In 10" ovenproof skillet heat 2 tsp vegetable oil. Add onions and mushrooms and saute until golden brown. Once browned add 1 tbs tomato paste and 2 minced garlic cloves
Cook 1 min until paste begins to brown
Add 2 tbs madeira wine and scrape up brown bits
Add 2 TBS flour. Once golden, add 1 ¼ cup beef broth, 2 tsp Worchestier sauce, 2 sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf
Add 2 finely chopped carrots
Stir.
Pinch off pieces of meat and drop on top (do not stir). Cover pan and continue cooking for 5 min. Take off lid turn over meat and break up any large pieces. Cover and cook additional 5 minutes. Remove thyme and bay leaf.

Stir 2 tsp corn starch with 2 tsp water and add to skillet. Stir. You can remove pan from burner. Turn oven to broil.

Using the zip lock bag. Fill with potatoes . Twist bag to push potatoes down into bag. Cut off corner and then pipe potatoes over meat mixture, covering completely. Smooth top with spatula or large spoon. Using a fork make zig zags throughout top (this creates highs and lows for when broiling. Put dish under broiler until top is golden brown (5-10 minutes).

Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes and serve