Ground Beef Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s pie is just simply amazing! It is so comforting and it is a meal in one dish! There is meat, vegetables, and potatoes. This recipe is not very hard to make, but there maybe a bit more dicing work. However I think it is worth it at the end. I have made this in a dinner party, and everyone was satisfied. You can definitely make this dish a few hours ahead, and just save the oven part before dinner. I am sure your guests would enjoy the meal very much.

Ground Beef Shepherd’s Pie (Adapted from Danny Boome)

3 – 4 servings

Ingredients:

–   1 pound lean ground beef

–   1 onion (diced)

–   1 – 1 ½ carrot (diced)

–   1 celery stalk (diced)

–   ¾ cup frozen peas (defrosted)

–   ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

–   2 garlic clove (minced)

–   ¼ – 1/3 cup low sodium beef stock

–   2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

–   1 tablespoons tomato paste

–   ½ tablespoon butter

–   ½ tablespoon olive oil

–   salt

–   ground black pepper

Mashed potatoes:

–   1 ½ pound red potatoes (peeled, quartered)

–   1 – 1 ¼ cup milk (warm)

–   4 tablespoons butter

–   1 teaspoon garlic paste

–   salt

–   ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Cut the potatoes into quarter and place them in a large pot. Fill the pot with cold water that just cover the potatoes. Season the water with salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, and cook the potatoes for about 20 minutes until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Add the butter and warm milk and mix. Stir in the garlic paste. Season with salt and pepper to your own taste. Set aside.
3. In a large pan over medium heat, add the butter and oil. Add onions, carrots, celery and cook until tender, about 6 – 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Season with salt and pepper. When the vegetables start to brown, add the tomato paste and stir until mix. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Season with salt and pepper and adjust. Cook and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the peas and mix evenly. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes.
4. Transfer everything to a ovenproof baking dish and spread evenly. Put the mashed potatoes over the meat mixture and spread to cover all the mixture. Top the mashed potatoes with Parmesan cheese. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes and place the dish under the broiler for 2 minutes to brown the top. Serve immediately.

Tips:

1. I prefer to make the mashed potatoes less thick in this recipe, because it is easier to spread over the meat mixture. You can adjust the thickness with milk.
2. To brown the mashed potatoes better, you can use a fork to make some peaks on top.