SHEPHERD'S PIES

1- EASY SHEPHERD'S PIE  

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1-2 cups vegetables - chopped carrots, corn, peas
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes (3 big ones)
• 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

Method

1 Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes).
2 While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 a stick) in large frying pan.
3 Sauté onions in butter until tender over medium heat (10 mins). If you are adding vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Put any carrots in with the onions. Add corn or peas either at the end of the cooking of the onions, or after the meat has initially cooked.

4 Add ground beef and sauté until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper. Add worcesterchire sauce. Add half a cup of beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth as necessary to keep moist.
5 Mash potatoes in bowl with remainder of butter, season to taste.

6 Place beef and onions in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. You can use the fork to make some designs in the potatoes as well.
7 Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes). Broil for last few minutes if necessary to brown.

Yield: Serves four.

2- SHEPHERD'S PIE  

Preparation time:
Cooking time: 53 minutes
Yield: 8

Ingredients

Potato Topping

• 6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
• Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup half and half cream (60 ml)
• 1 tablespoon butter (15 ml)
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

Meat Filling

• 1 tablespoon butter (15 ml)
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme (10 ml)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (5 ml)
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1 cup beef stock (250 ml)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (15 ml)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (15 ml)
• Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

Potato Topping

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Put potatoes into a roasting pan and bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, until easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, peel and put into a large bowl. Mash potatoes and add butter, cream, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Stir with wooden spoon until blended. Adjust seasoning.

Meat Filling

1. Put butter into a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened. Add garlic and continue to sauté for 3 minutes.
2. Add meat, breaking it apart and stirring until it’s browned.
3. Add the celery, carrots, thyme, oregano and cloves and season with salt and pepper.
4. Continue to cook over high heat until carrots begin to soften.
5. red wine and stock into pan and then add the Worcestershire and Dijon. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.
6. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and simmer covered, until meat is tender and moisture is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
7. Put meat mixture into a rectangular baking dish (about 7 ½-inches x 11 ½-inches and at least 3-inches deep). Spread the mashed potatoes over top and bake until top is golden and meat filling is bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes.