In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I decided over the weekend to do something we used to do regularly but rarely now. I made Shepherd’s Pie. Though it is widely associated with the Emerald Isle, the dish’s origins are traced to Scotland, where it began as a humble pie of mutton with a topping of pastry crust. With or without peas. The most recognizable form of Shepherd’s Pie is now made with a mashed potato topping, but that substitution wasn’t made until potatoes arrived in the UK in the 1700s. The name Shepherd’s Pie was introduced in 1870, and no one knows if an actual shepherd was involved. If the dish is made with meat other than mutton or lamb, it is called Cottage Pie. Chunks of meat instead of ground meat were the norm until mincing machines appeared in the 1870s.
Since all of these liberties have already been taken with the dish, the school cafeteria version the most egregious, I took a few of my own. I urge you to do the same. We're talking a basic equation here of Meat + Potato + Vegetables. + Cheese. Those all add up to 10, no matter how you get there.
So here is my version, sans mutton. If you want mutton and can find it, let us know how it turns out. Substitute anything else you prefer. You’ll notice that there are no flavorings other than salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. You should season as you wish. As is though, this recipe is, to my taste anyway, a celebration of the simplicity of our vegetable bounty, and the sweet harmony they create. Sharp cheese never hurts, either.
Shepherd’s Pie (for 6-8)
1 lb. ground round
4 large russet potatoes
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 stalks celery
1 medium yellow onion
½ large red bell pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 large baby Bella mushrooms
1 medium zucchini
3 smallish carrots
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups frozen peas
4 T Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
⅓ cup red wine (optional, but it definitely adds complexity and richness)
½ cup milk
½ stick of butter
1 lb cheddar and pepper jack cheese, mixed
1. Peel potatoes and boil in a large pot until tender, NOT falling apart.
2. Chop all vegetables, putting garlic, onion, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes and mushrooms into a large skillet with ground beef. Add Worcestershire and red wine.
3. Carrots, zucchini, peas, and corn go into a steamer.
4. When the potatoes are done, drain and add salt to taste. Drop butter into the middle, add milk slowly and mash coarsely. The tradition calls for lumpier spuds, and aren’t those better anyway? If they are too wet don’t use all the milk. Top with some coarse ground pepper and set aside.
5. When the meat mixture is completely cooked and vegetables are soft, there should be no liquid in the pan bottom.
6. Assemble in a 12x8 glass baking dish a first layer of the steamed vegetables, then the meat, then the potatoes.
7. Grate sharp cheddar and pepper jack cheese and sprinkle as a mixture across the top. Covering all the potatoes.
8. Bake on convect at 375 until the cheese is melted. We prefer crusty.
