Shepherd's Pie - Recipe

      Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Today I share my Shepherd's pie with you to celebrate!  I have always liked Saint Patrick's Day and wanted so much to be Irish when I was little.  I became a harpist as an adult and felt particularly drawn to the Celtic pieces.  A few years ago my sister uncovered many ancestors from our family tree and discovered that we are indeed Irish from my father's mother's side!  Wow! What a fun discovery!  I told her that it validates what I always felt inside.  So don't discount your instincts, even if they don't make sense at the time.

     Shepherd's pie is a wonderful one dish meal that is a crowd pleaser, especially when you add cheese to the mashed potatoes on top!  I use ground lamb for the meat, because it has a significantly better flavor than ground beef in the finished dish.  The lamb is flavored with warm spices, garlic, soy sauce, and molasses.  I also add lime juice to give it a fresh brilliance.  Use goat or cow dairy to your preference.  I enjoy the goat diary flavor, so I use it often.

Shepherd's Pie

(Serves 8-10)

4 lb. Potatoes

1 T. Palm Oil

2 Large Yellow Onions chopped

4 Carrots sliced (skins on or off to your preference)

2 Ribs Celery diced

4 Cloves Garlic finely diced

4 lb. Ground Lamb

3 tsp. Salt divided

1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp. Ground Coriander

1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp. Ground Allspice

1 tsp. Ground Cardamon

6 T. All Purpose Flour

1 T. Soy Sauce

1 T. Molasses

5 T. Tomato Paste

2 c. Chicken Broth

6 T. Lime Juice

12 oz. Bag Frozen Peas

1 Handful Fresh Cilantro Leaves chopped

1/2 c. Goat Yogurt

4 oz. Goat Butter

8 oz. Country Jack Goat Cheese grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 14x10-inch baking dish.

Begin by preparing the potatoes.  Place them in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil on high heat.  Reduce heat to low and simmer with skins on until soft when pierced with a fork.  Drain.

While potatoes are boiling prepare the meat filling.  Sauté onion, carrot, and celery in oil in a large Dutch oven on medium heat until onions begin to soften.  Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes.  Add lamb, 2 tsp. salt, and spices sautéing until brown.  Stir in flour and sauté 1 minute.  Stir in soy sauce, molasses, tomato paste, and chicken broth.  Turn heat down to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  After meat is thoroughly cooked add lime juice to taste, peas, and cilantro.

When potatoes are finished place them in a large bowl and using either a hand masher or a heavy duty mixer mash leaving some small lumps for texture.  Stir in yogurt, butter, and 1 tsp. salt.

Pour meat filling into the baking dish.  Spoon the potatoes on top then sprinkle on the grated cheese.  Bake in the oven uncovered with a cookie sheet placed underneath to catch drips for 25 minutes.  The potato peaks should be a golden brown.

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Sautéing vegetables.

Lamb filling.

Adding the potatoes.

Adding the grated cheese.

In the oven with a cookie sheet underneath to catch drips.