Shepherds Pie
Traditional English beef dish has vegetables and a savory sauce topped with mashed potatoes.

Recipe by Paul Mayville

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (approx. 4 medium) potatoes, peeled and cut into 2" pieces
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1 large stalk celery, sliced
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375F. Boil potatoes until fork tender; drain, add butter and mash completely. Set aside.

Add carrots to boiling water and cook for 15 minutes, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, add beef, onion and celery to 10" fry pan and cook until meat is no longer pink. Move meat mixture to casserole with slotted spoon. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of pan juices, or if not enough pan juices add bacon drippings or butter to make 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle flour into pan juices and mix into a thin paste. Add beef stock, worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, salt and pepper and return heat to high, stirring constantly until gravy thickens (if gravy ends up too thick add water until desired consistency is reached).

Add gravy, carrots and herbs to meat mixture and mix thoroughly. Spoon mashed potatoes over meat and spread until level. Bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4