Beef Dinner Maritime Pub food Recipes

Easy Cheesy Shepard’s Pie

Shepard's Pie

Shepard’s Pie is a favourite comfort dish for my family. It is very easy to see why. It combines the various comforts of mashed potatoes, gravy, ground beef, vegetables, and serves them up in one helping. That is if you can only have one helping. Our home it is a standard two visits to the dish for all.

This version uses a tomato and red wine based gravy. We whip the potatoes and add cheddar cheese to take it to next level awesome, and serve this along side a fresh salad.

Because I use beef, this is technically a “Cottage Pie” as Shepard’s Pie uses lamb traditionally. (The Shepard herds the lambs. It makes sense.) However; my mom always referred to this as Shepard’s Pie and who am I to confuse things. Just know that you can use ground beef or lamb.

Easy Cheesy Shepard's Pie

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • Mashed Potatoes
    2. 2 lbs peeled and chopped Potatoes.
    4. 1 Egg
    6. 1/2 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese 
    8. 3 tbsp Butter
    10. 1/2 cup Half & Half
    12. 1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg
    14. Flat Leaf Italian Parsley ( 1 tbsp minced)
    16. Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Beef and Gravy 
    2. 1 tsp Olive Oil
    4. 1 Onion (minced)
    6. 2 Carrots (Peeled, and grated as you would cheese)
    8. 1/4 frozen Peas
    10. 1/4 frozen Corn
    12. 1/2 frozen Green Beans
    14. 1 lb Ground Beef / or Lamb
    16. 1 tsp Worcester Sauce
    18. 1 tbsp HP sauce or Dijon Mustard
    20. 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
    22. 1/4 cup Red Wine
    24. 1 1/2 cups Beef Stock
    26. 1 tsp dried Thyme 
    28. 3 Tbsp of Flour
    30. Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Step one is to put a medium sized pot filled with salted water on high to boil and preheat your oven to 400°.
  2. Next, take a smaller pot and place it on a burner filled with water to bring to a boil as well. 
  3. Grab a cast iron deep dish frying pan (or regular large frying pan) and Sautee your onions and carrots in olive oil. Your going to cook these until the carrots have softened and the onions are translucent. 
  4. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook with carrots and onions until browned. Stirring often and breaking up the meat as you go. 
  5. Once the medium pot of water comes to a boil add the potatoes and cook for 12 – 15 minutes until they are soft. Test by piercing with a fork. Should the fork go in easily they are ready. Once ready, tip out into a strainer and allow them to steam dry.
  6. Add the corn, peas, and beans to the small pot of boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes and drain. 
  7. Now..add the veg (not potatoes) to your beef and onion mixture. 
  8. Add the Worcester sauce, HP sauce, and Tomato Paste to the beef. Mix in thoroughly. 
  9. Now add the 3 tbsp of flour and stir to coat the beef mixture. Add the red wine and stir to make a “paste” mixture. 
  10. Add the stock 1/4 cup at a time mixing after each addition until it gets to the consistency you like. 
  11. Add the Thyme, salt and pepper to taste. 
  12. Spread this mixture out in the cast iron pan you have used or transfer to casserole dish and spread out evenly. 
  13. Now back to the potatoes. Using a ricer, press your potatoes (or mash) into a large mixing bowl. 
  14. Warm your milk and butter for 45 seconds in the microwave before adding. Add to the potato mash along with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Give a stir. Taste for seasoning. 
  15. Add the whisked egg and stir in thoroughly. 
  16. Add the shredded cheddar and parsley. Stir well and you should have a very light, whipped like texture of potatoes without the starchy gluey texture that can happen if you over beat them in a stand mixer.
  17. Spread the potatoes over the beef and place in the oven to cook for 20-25 minutes. 
  18. Serve hot and enjoy. 

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