For some old fashioned comfort, try shepherd’s pie: Taste

Katherine Grandstrand
·4 min read
1
Shepherd's pie is an old fashioned favorite with meat, gravy and vegetables topped with a layer of mashed potatoes.
Shepherd's pie is an old fashioned favorite with meat, gravy and vegetables topped with a layer of mashed potatoes.

I’m pretty sure the person that invented tater tot hotdish was actually making shepherd’s pie.

Both dishes have a meat, vegetable, sauce and are topped with potatoes. After making shepherd’s pie myself, I’m sure this is what happened:

A home cook in Minnesota was making shepherd’s pie but either didn’t have potatoes or didn’t feel like making mashed potatoes. They had tater tots in the freezer and said, “Close enough,” and magic was made.

Sure, somewhere down the line the mixed vegetables changed to just green beans or just corn and the gravy got changed to cream-of soup, but the two are so similar that it just had to happen that way.

Shepherd’s pie is a layer of gravy-covered ground meat mixed with vegetables and topped with mashed potatoes. A similar recipe is cottage pie.

The internet is actually divided on when to use which term, some say it’s cottage pie when beef is used, others say it’s cottage pie when chunks of meat, rather than ground meat, is used. It’s perfectly acceptable to say shepherd’s pie when ground lamb is the main protein.

Shepherd’s pie or cottage pie has been around for quite some time. Per the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the first known written reference to “cottage pie” was in 1791, with the first reference to “shepherd’s pie” in the 1850s.

The dish has staying power for several reasons. First, it just tastes good.

Secondly, it’s a complete meal in a single dish and lastly, it's quick and easy, which makes it a great weeknight meal.

Shepherd’s pie is best made in a pan that can be on the stovetop and in the oven. I used my big, deep cast iron skillet.

While lamb is traditional, ground beef or ground turkey could easily be substituted. The veggies can be whatever’s in the fridge, freezer or pantry, but a blend of peas, carrots and corn works well.

As for the potatoes on top, they can be made fresh, made from instant potatoes or even leftover mashed potatoes from a previous meal. There just needs to be enough to cover the meat mixture with at least a half-inch.

One of the best things about shepherd’s pie is that it can be prepped ahead of time. I love meals that can just be pulled out of the fridge and popped into the oven for a timely supper.

As we head into a cold, busy season, shepherd’s pie is a great meal. It’s old-fashioned comfort in a bowl, just like tater tot hotdish.

Shepherd’s pie

Ingredients

Mashed potato topping

  • 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks.

  • 4 tablespoons butter.

  • ¼ cup sour cream.

  • ¼ to ½ cup milk.

  • Salt and pepper, to taste.

Filling

  • 1 pound ground lamb.

  • 1 small onion, diced.

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced.

  • 2 cups frozen peas, carrots and corn medley.

  • 2 tablespoons flour.

  • ½ cup beef broth.

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste.

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.

  • 1 teaspoon rosemary.

  • ½ teaspoon thyme.

  • 1 bay leaf.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.

  • Boil the potatoes in water to cover until fork tender and then drain the water.

  • Add the butter, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper to taste and mash the potatoes with a hand masher or mixer until reaching a favored mashed potato consistency. Set aside.

  • In a large skillet, brown the ground beef along with the onions and garlic. Drain any excess grease.

  • To the same skillet add two cups of the frozen vegetables. Cook for about five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Sprinkle the flour over the meat and veggies and stir to mix.

  • Add the tomato paste and stir to mix it in.

  • Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf.

  • Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, adding additional broth if necessary to prevent the meat from drying out.

  • Remove from heat. Spread the meat mixture in an even layer in a nine-by-13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Make sure to remove the bay leaf before adding the mixture to the baking dish.

  • Top the meat with the mashed potatoes making an even layer of potatoes.

  • Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until brown and bubbly. Place it under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the potatoes if desired.

Recipe adapted from Spaceships and Laser Beams. (https://spaceshipsandlaserbeams.com/shepherds-pie-recipe/)

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: For some old fashioned comfort, try shepherd's pie