So fall is finally here and I get to start making all my favorite types of dishes, soups, casseroles and all sorts of warm and homey delicacies. A couple of weeks ago I had just gotten back from a trip and didn't really have much in my fridge when I got home. I quickly through together some "bangers and mash" - and yes the potatoes were homemade. The salty sausage paired with the creamy, slightly sweet mashed potatoes made me instantly want a Shepherd's Pie. I had never made one before but figured that it was basic enough that I would be able to figure it out. As always when taking on a dish I've never tried before I looked at several recipes online to get an idea of various preparations and ingredients before diving in. I typically will go to either www.allrecipes.com or www.foodnetwork.com because they have a huge selection of recipes and they are available for free without any subscription. After looking at several recipes I felt confident that I would be able to build my ideal Shepherd's Pie. This recipe made quite a lot so if you're planning on giving it a go either invite a crowd or get your Tupperware ready to freeze some for later. The twist came from adding fresh rosemary and nutmeg to the sauce and garlic herb goat cheese to the potatoes. I encourage to adjust any of my recipes to your personal tastes. If you want to use a different protein, add different vegetables or spices. And I'd love to hear how you made any of Gloria's Food your own.
You will need:
Filling:
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1 medium white onion diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 c frozen french green beans
1 1/2 c frozen peas
1/2 c sliced fresh white mushrooms
14.5 oz can of beef broth
1 c dry red wine (I used a Malbec but and Cabernet or Shiraz would also work nicely)
2 3/4 c water
1/2 c butter (1 stick)
2/3 c flour
1 TBS finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 TBS granulated garlic
2 TBS ketchup
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 TBS ground nutmeg (if using fresh nutmeg use slightly less)
salt and pepper to taste
2 TBS olive oil
Potatoes:
1/2 lb white rose potatoes peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 lb yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
8 oz garlic herb goat cheese
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c half and half
4 TBS butter
salt to taste
Equipment:
A 9X13 glass casserole dish, large pot, medium pot, and a ricer (I have a press ricer and it really helps make smooth potatoes without over working them which can cause a gummy texture)
In your medium pot add your potatoes and chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Potatoes are done when they are easily cut by a fork. You want to get your potatoes going first so that they are done by the time your filling is prepared.
To start you want to brown your meat over a medium high heat in the large pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as you start to brown the meat. Once the meat is almost cooked through add the rosemary. Remove meat from pot and set aside. Add olive oil to pot and saute onions, garlic and carrots until onions start to turn translucent. Once the onions begin to turn, add peas and green beans. Remove vegetable mixture when carrots are still slightly firm but easily pierced with a fork. You can add the vegetable to the meat at this time. Reduce the heat to medium low and melt the butter. When the butter just begins to brown. Sprinkle in the flour and combine into a paste. Add the beef broth and whisk together. Add wine and water until smooth. Once well combined add the nutmeg, granulated garlic and ketchup. Add mushrooms and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add in meat and vegetable mixture and let simmer while potatoes are prepared.
Once the potatoes are tender, drain off all but 1/4 cup of the chicken broth. Rice all the potatoes, or smash until smooth. Be careful not to over work the potatoes. Add the goat cheese and half and half and combine over a low heat. Once cheese is fully incorporated add butter and salt to taste. Be careful not to over salt the potatoes as they will be combined with the savory filling.
Pour the filling into the glass casserole, leaving 1/2 of room. Smooth out filling. Scoop dollops of potatoes gently onto filling and spread evenly to edges of dish. Take a fork and make decorative peaks. If you want to get "fancy" you can pipe the potatoes on with a piping bag.
Place the casserole on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 until potatoes are golden brown.
Add the remaining sesame and peanut oil to the HOT wok. Add peppers and zucchini and saute until zucchini gets some color. Add onions and chicken pieces. Saute for 5 minutes or until zucchini is just tender. Add sauce mixture stirring to coat all the ingredients.
