Hanley’s Shepherd Pie

For those of us particularly with the omnivore share, we’ve had a good supply of ground beef, potatoes, onions, and carrots. On this fine St. Patrick’s Day, I’d  like to share with you my recipe for Shepherd’s Pie to help us use up those ingredients.

Hanley’s Shepherd Pie

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 lb. ground beef*

Sea salt and black pepper

3 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped*

2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped*

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

Few thyme sprigs, leaves only

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp tomato purée

1 1/3 cup bottled Guinness

5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1-1/4 cup chicken stock

1 15 oz. can of peas

2-1/4 Ib potatoes, peeled and roughly cubed*

1-3/4 oz. butter

2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan or cheddar, plus extra for grating

1 large egg yolk*

Step 1: Place a large frying pan over high heat and add a thin layer of olive oil. Season the ground meat with salt and pepper and fry, stirring, in two or three batches, until nicely browned. Once cooked, tip the meat into a sieve or colander to drain off the fat.

Step 2: Place another large pan over medium-high heat and add a little olive oil. When hot, fry the onion and carrots, with garlic and thyme, for 8-10 minutes until soft and golden. Add the browned meat, tomatoes and tomato purée. Stir constantly for 4-5 minutes.

Step 3: Add the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce and boil until the liquid has reduced by half. Pour in the stock and return to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20-25 minutes, by which time the mixture should be thick and glossy. Halfway through add canned peas.  Continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes if it doesn’t seem quite thick enough. Remove from the heat.

Step 4: Preheat the oven to 356°F. Meanwhile, add the potatoes to a pan of salted water, bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and return to the hot pan for 15 seconds or so, to dry out, then take off the heat. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer back into the pan or mash smoothly. Mix through the butter, cheese and egg yolk. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Step 5: Spoon the meat mixture into the bottom of a 2 L pie dish. Spoon the mashed potato on top and rough up the surface with a fork. Grate over some extra cheese and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

*ingredients received in Norwood CSA Winter Omnivore Share

- Nicole Hanley