Weekend Cooking: Shepherd’s Pie

I have made a couple of recipes from Tatiana’s Table by Paullina Simons and have enjoyed them so far.  Also, one of my favorite dishes growing up was Shepherd’s Pie – however not a favorite of my boyfriend.  As I looked through the recipe included in this collection it seemed a little better put together than some of the others I have tried and couldn’t wait to make it.  The recipes in this book are inspired by The Bronze Horseman Trilogy and the little vignettes and snippets included in this “cookbook” add to the trilogy.  While I have only read book 1 in the series, I believe that the Shepherd’s Pie recipe would have been chronologically from Tatiana and Alexander, book 2.  Let me know if this is wrong!

Shepherd’s Pie
4 hearty servings

Ingredients
1/8 cup butter
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. ground beef sirloin
1/8 cup tomato paste
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup red wine (we used merlot)
Salt & pepper to taste
2-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
2 lbs. prepared mashed potatoes
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz. shredded Monterey Jack (or other hard mild cheese)
1/8 cup breadcrumbs

Directions
1) In a large skillet heat butter on medium high and brown onion, then add garlic for 30 seconds.  Add ground beef and brown. 
2) Turn down heat slightly and add tomato paste and flour.  Stir until fully absorbed in the meat.  Add Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, beef stock and red wine, mix, and simmer uncovered.  Add carrots and simmer on low 10 minutes.
3) Add corn, stir, and continue cooking.  Add a small amount of water if need more liquid.  Mixture should be thick and not runny.
4) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spoon mixture into a casserole dish (we used a 8x8 with deep sides).  Arrange mashed potatoes on top.  Sprinkle with cheeses and breadcrumbs.  Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

The recipe above has been cut in half from the original.  If you need to serve a larger crowd just double every ingredient.  As you can see from the photo (one hearty serving) the above recipe could easily feed 4-6 people, depending on your portioning. 

Another variation that I took was I used red wine where you could have alternatively used beer.  We happen to have wine in the house and I have always like the flavor of merlot with beef.  I frequently use it in gravy and it gave this recipe a great taste.

This really was probably the best Shepherd’s Pie I have had yet.  A nice thick layer of mashed potatoes and a wonderful gravy.  My boyfriend even approved and we left not a scrap on our plates.  I would highly recommend this recipe!

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads. Any post remotely related to cooking can participate.

 

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