Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd’s Pie comes to us from England, and is traditionally made with lamb or mutton. Here in the United States we are more of a beef eating culture than a lamb eating one, and when one is served “shepherd’s pie” here, it is most often made with ground beef.

In England, they would call the beef dish a “cottage pie” and the lamb dish “shepherd’s pie”. Regardless of what you call it, a shepherd’s pie is basically a casserole with a layer of cooked meat and vegetables, topped with mashed potatoes, and baked in the oven until the the mashed potatoes are well browned.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds lamb (or ground beef)

1/2 large onion, diced

1/2 cup beef broth

16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup milk

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

Add potatoes to a pot of boiling salted water. Boil until tender. Remove from heat. Combine boiled potatoes with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Mash until smooth and combined. Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large skillet, cook lamb (or ground beef) until browned and cooked through. Drain and set aside. In the same skillet, add onions and beef broth to cook until onions are almost transparent.

Add mixed vegetables and Worcestershire to skillet. Stir to combine. Allow to simmer together for 10 minutes. Add lamb (or beef) back to skillet and stir. Once combined, spoon into 13” X 9” baking dish.

Top with cheddar cheese, mashed potatoes, and parmesan cheese - in that order.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the top has browned.

Remove from oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes, serve and enjoy!