Top Kitchen Party chef Doren Prei also makes a tremendously hearty shepherd’s pie, just the thing when the air turns nippy.
“I love a good shepherd’s pie when the weather gets colder. Sometimes I like to add some spices or a touch of hot sauce to the beef mixture. Modest Meats has amazing ground beef and I use nice potatoes from Riverbend Gardens.”
–Doreen Prei, Riverview Restaurant.
For the Filling
| 1 med | onion, washed, peeled, cut in small dice |
| 500 g | ground beef |
| salt and pepper to taste | |
| 2 med | carrots, washed, peeled, cut in small dice |
| 2 T | tomato paste |
| 200 ml | dry red wine |
| ½ c | cherry tomatoes, washed, halved |
| ½ bunch | flat leaf parsley, finely chopped |
| oil for frying |
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Heat a big enough frying pan over medium to high heat. Once the frying pan is hot, add the oil and wait for about 10-20 seconds for the oil to heat up. Add the onions and season with salt. Stir constantly and reduce the heat to medium.
In a bowl, season the ground beef with salt and pepper and break it apart. Once the onions are caramelized, add the ground beef and cook until caramelized. Add the carrots and cook them for about 2 minutes and season with salt. Add the tomato paste and stir for about 20-30 seconds. Deglaze with red wine and wait until the wine is reduced. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the fresh parsley and turn off the heat. Check seasoning and reserve until the potatoes are done.
For the Topping
| 8-10 med | russet potatoes, peeled, washed, cut in cubes |
| salt to taste | |
| 400 ml | whipping cream (or more, depends on the potato) |
| 1½ sticks | butter, unsalted |
| 200 g | aged white cheddar, grated |
| 75-100 ml | canola oil |
Place the potatoes in cold water and add salt. Cook the potatoes over medium heat until fork tender. Bring the cream and butter to a boil and keep hot. Once the potatoes are fork-tender, strain them and cover them partially with a kitchen towel so they can release any excess water, meaning you are steaming them out. This will take 3 minutes. Place the steamed-out potatoes back in the pot, add some salt and add the hot cream and butter mixture. Use a potato masher or ricer and add as much liquid as you desire. I like my mash softer, so I add more liquid. Check the seasoning. Potatoes need more salt than you think.
Pour the filling in a casserole dish and spoon the mashed potatoes over. This will be easiest if your mash is still warm. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the mash and bake for 30-45 minutes at 375ºF.
Serve 6-8 depending on appetite.