SHEPARD’S PIE

SHEPARD’S PIE

This dish pairs well with: Merlot

Ingredients

• 2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed

• 2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan

• 1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb

• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 cup beef stock or broth

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it

• 1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls

• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preparation

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

 Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.