Shepherd's Pie

So fun fact. It's spelled "Shepherd" not "Shepard." Who knew? I didn't! No judgement... I was an Engineering major, not English. So sue me.

A couple years back we took a trip to Ireland, and fell in love with the country. We drove from one coast to the other enjoying the scenery, old castles, and surprisingly enough, the FOOD. We arrived with pretty low expectations - it's not as though the UK is touted for it's cuisine. But we chowed down on some of the most delectable lamb and beef dishes during our stay.

Shepherd's Pie is such a flavorful and cozy dish. Perfect for a chilly, damp evening in Ireland. Coming home, I knew I'd need to tinker with a recipe of my own!

So here it is folks. Beef and lamb simmered in a savory wine gravy with pops of peas and pearl onions. Topped with fluffy, cheesy potatoes. Baked and delightfully browned. A taste of Ireland from the comfort of my own kitchen.

Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

For the filling

· 2 tbsp olive oil

· 1 lb ground lamb

· 1lb lean ground beef

· ½ onion diced

· 2 garlic cloves, minced

· 1 tsp salt

· 1 tsp black pepper

· 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

· 2 tsp fresh thyme, minced

· 3 tbsp tomato paste

· 1 ½ tbsp flour

· ½ cup dry red wine

· ½ cup beef stock

· 1 cup frozen peas & carrots

· 1 cup pearl onions

· 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

For the topping

· 2 lbs gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

· ½ cup milk, at room temp

· 1 egg, at room temp, whisked

· 3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

· ½ tsp garlic powder

· ½ tsp onion powder

· ½ tsp black pepper

· ½ cup Irish cheddar, shredded

· 2 tbsp parmesan, grated

· Parsley for garnish

For the filling…heat the olive oil over medium high heat in an oven safe skillet. Crumble and brown the lamb and beef. Reduce heat to medium low and sautee the onion and garlic until translucent. Stir in the salt, pepper, herbs, and tomato paste until combined. Add the flour. Cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and beef stock. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Simmer covered for 10-15 minutes periodically stirring. Fold in the frozen pea, carrots and pearl onions. Stir in the parsley. Remove from the heat and set aside.

For the topping… boil the potatoes in an abundance of salted water. Cook for 10 minutes or until the potato is easily pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes. Press the potatoes through a ricer into a bowl. Fold in the milk, egg, and butter. Stir in the spices. Fold in the cheddar. Season to taste with additional salt if necessary.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Spoon the potatoes over the filling in the pan. Spread the potatoes evenly to coat the lamb and beef. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for about an hour until the potatoes begin to puff and brown.

Garnish with parsley and serve hot!

Serves 6

Gluten Free Friendly!

Swap the flour for whatever GF rice flour you have on hand.