How to Cook Delicious Shepherd's Pie (my version)

Shepherd's Pie (my version). Shepherds pie is such a wonderful, hearty comfort food. I make it with lentils and mushrooms for my version and ground beef for my guy's. But it's a lot of work to make everything from scratch … love the idea of using frozen mashed potatoes if I'm running short on time!

But since I'm Scottish, I thought I'd give it a unique twist to suit my ancestral tastes. The use of lamb, the smoky, heather taste of Guinness® Draught (Irish, I admit), and the topping of sharp Cheddar and smoked paprika give this version its unique, smoky-sweet flavor. This recipe was a big hit in my household! You can have Shepherd's Pie (my version) using 9 ingredients and 4 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of Shepherd's Pie (my version)

1. It's 6 of russet potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters.
2. It's 1 of ground meat ( i used ground chicken breast), seasoned with sea salt, black pepper, fresh garlic and dill.
3. Prepare 1 of small onion, diced.
4. You need 1 of cup of corn, frozen or fresh (was what i had, but you can add any veggies you like).
5. It's 1/3 of cup of crumbled cooked bacon.
6. It's 2 of cups italian blend cheese, divided.
7. You need 2 of tbsp. margarine.
8. Prepare 1 of milk to mash the potatoes.
9. Prepare 2 of garlic cloves, mashed.

A simple version of the classic meat and vegetable comfort food casserole topped with cheesy garlic mashed potatoes, this is the best Shepherd's Pie recipe you'll ever make! OK - so I may be tooting my own horn a bit too much here, but in all honesty this really was the.best. Shepherd's pie is a meat casserole topped with a layer of mashed potato. It's traditionally prepared with ground or minced lamb.

Shepherd's Pie (my version) step by step

1. Cook potatoes in a boiler with salted water. Let cook until tender. Drain. Keep the lid on so they stay hot, it will be easier to mash..
2. Meanwhile start cooking the meat. Add the onions, bacon, garlic and corn when meat is almost done..
3. Add milk, margarine and garlic cloves to the potatoes. Start mashing, add 1 cup of the cheese. The potatoes should be soft and creamy..
4. In a pan (i used an 8x8) sprayed with canola oil put half of the mashed potatoes, then add the meat then the rest of potatoes. Top with the other cup of cheese. Put on oven at 400F, for 20 minutes or cheese is golden brown..

When prepared with ground or minced beef, it's technically known as cottage pie. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Shepherd's pie was originally conceived as a way to use up leftover pot roast or stew, but most modern versions are made with ground meat, which cooks much faster. For this version, you begin by making a batch of mashed potatoes and setting those aside. Then, you make a flavorful ground beef stew with bacon, vegetables, and wine.