Lynn Crawford's Shepherd's Pie

Directions for: Lynn Crawford's Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

Mashed Potatoes

1 lb(s) Russet potatoes, peeled, diced

cup whole milk

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large egg, yolk only

Shepherds Pie Filling

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 cup onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled, diced small

2 celery stalks, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs beef, ground, raw

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 cups beef or chicken broth

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

cup green peas, frozen

cup grated aged white Cheddar

Directions

Mashed Potatoes

1. Place the peeled and diced potatoes into a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Over high-heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the potatoes are easily crushed with a pair of tongs.

2. Place the whole milk in a microwave-safe container, place in the microwave and heat-through for 35 seconds.

3. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return them to the saucepan.

4. Mash the potatoes, then add the warm whole milk, the unsalted butter, salt and pepper to taste and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the egg yolk until well combined.

Shepherds Pie Filling

1. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling for the Shepherds pie. Begin by placing the canola oil in a 12-inch saut pan and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the onion, carrot, celery and saut until they just start to take on a little colour, about 3 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine.

2. Add the beef, salt and pepper to the pan and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 4- 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for another minute.

3. Add the beef or chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly for 10 12 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. At this point, taste the mix and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Add the corn and peas to the beef mixture and spread evenly into an 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes: spread the potatoes around the edges first to prevent the mixture from bubbling over and smooth over with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

5. Place the baking dish onto a parchment lined sheet tray to catch any possible spills during the cooking time. Bake for 25 minutes or until the potatoes just start to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for 15 minutes before serving.