Shepherd’s Pie

By Peggie

Ingredients

• For the mashed potatoes:
• 2 pounds russet potatoes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• For the filling and pie:
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 cups chicken or beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 cup fresh or frozen English peas, thawed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Sweet paprika for dusting

Preparation

Step 1

To make the mashed potatoes:

Peel the potatoes and cut into 2-inch chunks. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.

Place the pot back on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the cream and butter and stir until butter has melted. Return potatoes to the pot and mash until smooth, incorporating the cream and butter as you go. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

To make the pie:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Prepare the filling:

Pour the oil into a 12-inch cast iron skillet or oven safe frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and sauté just until they begin to get tender, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Stir in ketchup, broth and Worcestershire sauce, and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle in the flour and mix well. Continue to simmer gently over medium-low heat until the sauce is thickened slightly, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Add the corn and peas to the meat mixture and stir until combined. Season filling with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up. (Good luck with that!) Smooth the potatoes with a spatula as best you can. Dot the potatoes with bits of butter and dust with paprika.
Place skillet on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the potatoes have browned.

Remove and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.