Shepard’s Pie
1½ pounds ground beef
Recommended Videos
1½ cups onion, small diced
1 cup carrot, small diced
1 cup red pepper, small diced
½ cup yellow pepper, small diced
1 cup celery, small diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup sherry
2 cups chicken or beef stock
bay leaf
A1 sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
Mashed Potatoes for Top
6-8 Yukon Gold potatoes (you can use Idaho as well), peeled and cut into large chunks.
4 tablespoons butter
¾ cup-1½ cups heavy cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
salt, to taste
Brown the ground beef in a large heavy-bottom skillet. Add the vegetables and cook until soft but not browned. Add the tomato paste and cook until the paste turns a dark red, 2-3 minutes. Add the sherry. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf and a splash of A1. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer until the liquid is reduced about 1/4 of the way down. Transfer to an oven-safe casserole dish and top with mashed potatoes.
Place the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with water and add a big pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 12-18 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes. Add the butter and half of the heavy cream to your warm pot. Using a potato ricer, rice the potatoes into the pot. You can use a hand masher as well. Stir the potatoes until mixed. Add the remaining cream, if needed, until very smooth and creamy. Stir in the cheddar cheese and a big pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning. Top your ground beef with the potatoes in an even layer. Bake in a 375-400˚F oven until the potato is golden brown and the meat is hot. Remove and top with gremolata, if desired.
Gremolata
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
zest of one orange
zest of one lemon
¼ cup Italian parsley, minced
Kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Heat the oil in skillet on medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, cook stirring for 3-4 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs, cook, stirring constantly until golden brown. Add the zests and stir for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs. Season to taste with a big pinch pf salt and pepper.