Sheppard’s Pie

It’s hard not to love a hearty dinner meal that tastes even better the next day.

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Sheppard’s Pie

It’s hard not to love a hearty dinner meal that tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

• 5 russet potatoes
• 10 Tbsp (1 stick + 2 Tbsp) salted butter
• ¼ cup cream cheese, (softened)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 24 oz ground beef
• 16 oz ground lamb
• 2 large white onions, (medium dice)
• 2 stalks celery, (medium dice)
• 2 carrots, (medium dice)
• 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cup red wine
• 3 cups full-bodied beef or chicken stock
• 12 sprigs of thyme, tied up together with kitchen string
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 3 Tbsp Wondra flour
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Salt & freshly-ground black pepper, (to taste)
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions 

• To make the mashed potato topping, peel and dice the potatoes and rinse under cold water.
• Boil the potatoes in salty water until they are completely tender.
• Drain potatoes and transfer back to cooking pot.
• Add 8 Tbsp (1 stick) softened butter and ¼ cup cream cheese and mix to combine thoroughly.
• Taste and season with salt & pepper.
• Cover the surface of the potatoes with plastic wrap and allow to cool.
• Brown the beef and lamb in large chunks and remove meat from pan.
• Deglaze beef drippings with a splash of beef or chicken stock and add the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter.
• Add onions and allow onions to cook for 15 minutes, or until translucent and tender.
• Add the celery and carrots and red pepper flakes and allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and stir for another 10 minutes.
• Deglaze the pot with the red wine and add the remaining stock and the thyme.
• Add the meat back to the mixture and allow to simmer slowly on low heat until the liquid has reduced down by 2/3.
• When there is a small quantity of liquid remaining and the meat is soft and tender, remove the bundle of thyme sprigs.
• Whisk in the Wondra flour to thicken the remaining liquid into a sauce.
• Add the Worcestershire sauce and fish sauce and mix well.
• Adjust seasoning with salt & freshly-ground black pepper.
• Stir in frozen peas, and layer the mixture in the bottom of a large, high-sided casserole dish.
• Add the mashed potatoes on top of the beef and lamb and vegetable mixture.
• Add Parmesan cheese on top of the mashed potatoes.
• Note, do not overfill the casserole dish during the layering process—leave about ½” from the top unfilled, as the mixture will bubble up slightly during cooking.
• Additionally, during the baking process, make sure to bake your casserole on a sheet tray covered with aluminum foil. This will reduce the impact of any bubbling over that may occur.
• Bake the casserole at 370F for 30-40 minutes, or until mixture is warm throughout and the cheese is golden-brown.
• Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving, as it is very hot.

Notes

This recipe can be prepared and layered in advance and then baked on the day you intend to serve it.
Wondra flour is a pre-gelatinized flour that is traditionally used as a sauce thickener or for making gravies. All-purpose flour works here as well, just make sure to avoid clumps of flour.