Shepherd's Pie

This is a great comfort food staple, and it's especially great with ground lamb. You can save time by using packaged mashed potatoes. I added cheese to the top of mine, this is completely optional. I've altered the original recipe to a 2:1 potato to meat ratio, because I found that this is best. If you do 1 to 1, there just doesn't seem to be enough potatoes to fully cover the meat mixture. I also take out the peas and corn, but feel free to leave those in.

Here's the recipe adapted from Alton Brown
4 servings

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk
• Shredded cheddar cheese, for topping (optional)

For the meat filling:

• 1 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced small
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 pound ground lamb (you can use ground beef, if it's what you have, but the lamb is much more flavorful)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen English peas

Directions:

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

3. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

4. Add the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 9 by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish (anything around this size should work fine). Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.