By Chef William Turner
Saint Patty’s Day is just around the corner, so be sure to wear your green shirt, order a shamrock shake and have a pint or two of green beer. Seriously, it’s one of my favorite holidays to go all out on, with great food, cold beer, and tons of fun, what’s not to like?! If you aren’t able to make it out to enjoy the festivities, but want a little taste of the Irish, try your hand at this classic dish. Shepherd’s pie, when made correctly, is an absolute masterpiece and the ultimate comfort food. It touches all the bases and will help the Guinness settle. Like I always say, my recipes are guidelines; you can follow them or feel free to adjust, substitute and make it your own. I’m going to suggest using lamb as the recipe calls for. It just makes a better dish. As for the vegetables, I prefer fresh or frozen.
Ingredients
- 1lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 6-8 gold potatoes( peeled and halved)
- 1 c beef stock
- 1/2 c cream
- 1/2 c butter
- 1/2 c carrots (diced)
- 1/2 c celery (diced)
- 1/2 onion (diced)
- 1/2 c parm
- 1/2 c peas
- 1/2 c corn
- 1/2 c green beans
- 1/2 red wine
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- salt and pepper
Directions
First, boil potatoes in salted water approx. 30 minutes until fork tender, strain and let slightly cool, add cold cream and cold butter, salt, pepper and mash, add egg yolk and whip until egg is incorporated completely, set aside and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Now we start browning the lamb and beef in a large skillet on medium/high heat, add herbs, garlic and half of the onion, carrot, celery. Render until the meat is cooked, drain most of the fat and deglaze the pan with red wine and beef stock. Season and reduce by half add demi-glace, stir well and set aside.
While browning the meat, you can saute the remaining vegetables in a little olive oil, be sure to season well, and use a little of the beef stock to deglaze if needed, 5 minutes.
Now the fun part: Layer vegetables, sprinkle with 1/2 the parm, layer ground meat, sprinkle with parm. Now add the layer of mashed potatoes. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until light browning. Remove and allow to sit 15 minutes before serving.
I hope y’all enjoy my take on this classic Irish dish.
Whether it’s a celebrity dinner, bachelorette party or corporate event, Chef William Turner has made a name for himself as the Valley’s go-to private chef. Learn more at www.chefwilliamturner.com.
