Shepherd’s Pie

My sweet and playful son turned 3 years old this week. His birthday dinner request? Shepherd’s Pie. Not pizza or chicken nuggets like most kids. This little munchkin is oddly obsessed with Shepherd’s pie. Ask him what he wants for dinner on any given day and his response is the same: Shepherd’s Pie.

In his defence, Shepherd’s Pie has gotten a bad rap, or it least it has in my family. It may be reminiscent of nursery school food, but it is warm and comforting on a Fall day. And when you break it down its just meat…good, peas and corn…good, mashed potatoes…good (Friend’s reference intended). Really my only complaint is that it is somewhat time consuming, and because result of my son, I have eaten it at least once a month for the past year. Including in the heat of the summer. We may need to introduce him to new loves!

In honour of Cameron, I am posting his favourite recipe. This version is slightly more time consuming than the recipe I grew up, that essentially boiled meat with a can of mushroom soup (not the best!), but it is definitely tastier. Traditionally Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb (pies made with beef are actually “Cottage Pies”). However, ground beef is usually what is in my fridge and it is a fine replacement. On a special occasion I will usually mix both ground lamb and beef.

This recipe can be made entirely in advance and cooked the following day. It is also easy to cook the potatoes and meat sauce one day and assemble the next.

Shepherd’s Pie

Loosely adapted from Serious Eats

Serves 8, at least

For the Mashed Potatoes
3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (about 5-6 large), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
kosher salt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed

For the Meat Sauce:
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
2 packets unflavoured gelatin (about 5 tsp, 1/2 ounce)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds ground beef or lamb, or a combination
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Assemble
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain the water. Mash the potatoes with butter and set aside until ready to assemble. If saving for more than an hour, cover the potatoes with plastic wrap directly against the surface and refrigerate.

Place the stock in a measuring cup and sprinkle with the gelatin. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add half of the ground meat and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Use a potato masher or a large whisk to break up the meat. Add the remaining meat and cook, breaking it up until it is reduced to small bits; about 3 minutes. Lower the heat as necessary to prevent scorching. If the meat has rendered an excessive amount of fat, use a metal spoon to ladle most of it out, leaving only a few tablespoons. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook, stirring, until they just begin to soften; about 4 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a simmer over high heat. Cook, scraping up any browned bits, until almost fully evaporated. Add the reserved chicken stock, thyme, bay leaf, and Worcestershire. Sprinkle flour over the ground meat in the pot, then stir it in. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low ad simmer until sauce is reduced and thick, about 20 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in the peas and corn and season with salt and pepper.

When you are ready to assemble, preheat the oven to 425 F. Heat the cream in a saucepan until simmering. Add the cream to the potatoes and stir gently until completely incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Set a 9 x 13 inch baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Add the meat sauce and top with the mashed potatoes, spreading them with a spatula to cover the surface completely. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake until the top is browned and the casserole is fully heated through, about 20 minutes. For deeper browning, you can use the broiler for the last few moments of cooking, but be careful not to burn the potatoes.

Let stand for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Note: the casserole can be completely assembled, wrapped with plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days. It will take slightly longer to heat through in the oven.