
Easy Shepherd's Pie
With the weather dipping into the negative temperatures, I find myself constantly craving comfort foods. Shepherd's Pie is one of my favorite comfort dishes & my version is sure to satisfy every craving. A hearty filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes, yes, please! While traditional Shepherd's Pie is made with ground lamb or beef, there is the option here to lighten things up a bit. If using the classic lamb or beef, I recommend using Cambria Wine's Benchbreak Pinot Noir to the base. However, if you want to use ground chicken or turkey like I often do, I recommend Cambria Wine's Benchbreak Charddonay. Both wines add so much flavor to the dish, I couldn't possibly pick which one is my favorite. I hope this dish keeps you warm & cozy for the months to come!
Shepherd's Pie Ingredients
for the topping
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
- 2 garlic cloves, whole
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- salt & pepper, to taste
for the filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled & diced small
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 pound ground meat (beef, lamb or chicken)
- 1/3 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1/3 cup Cambria's benchmark chardonnay or pinot noir
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 3/4 cup frozen corn
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
for the topping
- fill a large pot with water & season heavily with salt.
- add the potatoes & garlic. bring to a boil over medium-high heat & cook until the potatoes are fork tender.
- strain the water & immediately mash in the butter, cream, thyme, salt & pepper.
- set aside while you prepare the filling.
for the filling
- in a large skillet over medium heat melt together the butter, olive oil & garlic.
- add the onions, carrots, rosemary & thyme. cook until the onions begins to turn translucent & the carrots soften.
- add the ground meat. season generously with salt & pepper.
- once the meat has fully cooked, add the stock, wine, peas & corn to the skillet.
- sprinkle flour over the filling & toss to coat. the sauce should begin to thicken slightly.
- remove from heat. season with salt & pepper.
- transfer filling to a large baking dish & top with mashed potato mixture.
- bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown.