Shepherd's Pie

I'm having a "no shopping" week, as it is beyond time for me to clean out the stockpile in my freezer and pantry. I unearthed some lamb sausage, purchased from Drumlin Farm late in the fall and forgotten in my freezer. I wanted to do this lamb some justice, so I turned it into a shepherd's pie. Lizzy tucked right into the ground mixture but eschewed the mashed potato; Abby wouldn't try any (but then proved that she had a tummy bug later that night, which may have tainted her willingness to try new things!). My husband was in heaven with this dinner!

If you are in the area and ever visit Drumlin Farm with your kids, check their freezers in the fall - they sell their beef, goat, and lamb meat, and we've gotten some amazing meats from there.



Filling:
1 lb ground lamb (I used lamb sausage, but we couldn't detect much seasoning)
1 lb ground beef
1 cup diced onion
1 cup carrots, sliced into thin rounds
1 cup diced celery
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp flour
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup frozen peas

In a large pot, brown the lamb and ground beef. When it is mostly cooked through, remove the ground meats and set aside in a bowl - keep the fat drippings in the pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. They will start to get a little bubbly and very soft. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, and then stir in the flour. Cook for about 1 minute, and then whisk in the worcestershire sauce, red wine, chicken broth, and water. Stir in the browned meats and bring the whole mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a little. Remove from heat and stir in peas. Spread mixture into a 2-qt casserole dish. (I prepared my filling to this point early in the day and then stuck it in the fridge until I was closer to dinner time. I love dishes that I can prep ahead of time!).


Mashed Potato Topping: 1 - 1.5 lbs mashing potatoes, scrubbed well and chopped (and peeled if desired - I always leave my peels on)
1 clove garlic, peeled but whole
1/2 - 1 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 egg
salt to taste

Put the potatoes and garlic clove into a big pot, filled with enough water to fully cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, lower heat slightly, and cook for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.

Drain potatoes and return to pot. Mash with a masher. Stir in 1/2 cup of milk and the butter and some salt. Mash some more. Add more milk as desired. Check to see if you need additional salt, and then mash in egg.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Spread potatoes over the meat filling in the casserole dish, creating a few pretty peaks. Cook for about 25-30 minutes, until the peaks of the potatoes are browning and the mixture below is starting to bubble out.