So, with a shepherd’s pie the key is that there are two parts. The filling and the topping.
I’m not going to so much give you a specific recipe as suggestions. Because I think this can be so delicious so many different ways the most fun thing to do is play with it and be adventurous.
For the filling here are some options:
Traditional –
Grass fed ground beef or bison
Coconut, avocado, ghee or olive oil
Celery
Onion
Garlic
Carrots
Diced potatoes (small like ½ inch dice so that they will cook well)
Bell peppers
Mushrooms
Tomato paste
Italian herbs
Parsley fresh
Dried garlic and onion powder
Peas
Salt pepper to taste
Vegan –
Coconut, ghee, avocado, or olive oil
Celery
Onion
Garlic
Carrots
Diced potatoes (small like ½ inch dice so that they will cook well)
Bell peppers
Mushrooms
Tomato paste
Lentils – canned or pre-cooked.
Peas
Italian herbs
Parsley fresh
Dried garlic and onion powder
Broth
Red wine
Salt pepper to taste
So, for me the key thing is this… I want my filling, whatever is in it, to be not soupy. It needs to be the consistency of thick stew. So, fire away. I start with some oil and I sauté my onion, celery, peppers, and carrots. Then I add in my mushrooms and/or ground beef and brown that. When that is done, I add in the tomato paste, (then the Lentils if doing a vegan version). Then I add the seasonings, peas, broth and or red wine and simmer just a minute more and then season to taste with salt and pepper. This is a base so there’s not a science to it. Just make it taste good and don’t get it too soupy!
For the topping…
A couple options. Cauliflower, Sweet potato or traditional potato topping.
Sweet Potato Mash Topping
2 lbs of large sweet potatoes
8 cloves garlic
Salt to taste
pepper
Canned coconut milk – room temperature
Olive oil
Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Bake sweet potatoes at 375 on middle rack of oven for about 45 min to 1 hour until soft and cooked thru. Roast garlic in the bulb in foil while baking the potatoes. Wait for potatoes to cool to touch. Peel them and put potatoes, roasted garlic cloves in the food processor with about ¼ cup of the coconut milk (start with less and add until it is the consistency you like) and a splash of little olive oil and pulse until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Mashed Potato Topping
3 to 3 ½ lbs youkon gold or russet potatoes cut into 2 inch pieces
6 Garlic cloves roasted
1 cup milk or nut milk
2 tbsp butter or vegan alternative
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Ahead of time roast garlic bulbs in foil in oven.
Wash and peel potatoes. Dice up. Put potatoes in a pan, cover potatoes in pot by 1 inch and boil until tender and cook about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and add in the roasted garlic and mix in milk and butter. Season to taste.
Cauliflower Parsnip and Roasted Garlic Mash Topping
4 large parsnips, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 heads cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 head roasted garlic
1 cup heavy cream (or vegan alternative) warmed
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (or vegan alternative), softened
2 teaspoons minced thyme, optional
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
2. Add parsnips and boil for about 6 minutes. Add cauliflower and boil for an additional 10 to 12 minutes or until parsnip and cauliflower are fork tender.
3. Drain completely. Add roasted garlic and begin to mash mixture. Add remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper and continue to mash until mixture is smooth and creamy.
4. Adjust seasonings and serve.
To roast garlic: Preheat oven to 375˚F. Slice off the top 1/2 inch of a head of garlic. Place garlic head on the center of a small piece of foil. Drizzle the garlic with a small amount of oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Wrap foil around garlic and place directly onto the center rack. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until garlic is fork tender and caramelized. Allow garlic to cool for about 10 minutes, uncovered. Remove cloves, discard the peel and set aside until ready to use.
DIRECTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING THE PIE
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place the filling in the bottom of a large dutch oven or baking dish.
Top with mash of your choice.
Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the topping begins to brown to your liking. I will note…every oven is different and each topping will cook differently as well. So you may need your oven a little hotter or cooler. Use your judgment based upon how your oven typically cooks. And remember the ingredients are all cooked so its already done… no worries don’t get too distracted by this. Just look for it to be warm and browned on the top!
Viola… Delish.