Tuesday: Shepherd's Pie: NLE / SH Version

Shepherd's Pie is one of the first things I think of making when the weather turns colder, especially with my meat-and-potatoes gang. Since I have a couple of reluctant Randys in my house, this is also one of my favourite dishes to stock with stealth vegetables. I leave a couple nice and visible so they think it's safe and then WHAM! Extra veggies. No scurvy on my watch.

I cannot stand lamb, though, so although that is the traditional meat with this dish, I am all beef, all the time. Onward!

You will need:

1 lb g potatoes (about three-ish)
2 c cauliflower
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp homogenized (3.25%) milk
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1 tsp thyme, divided
Salt, pepper, St. Laurent steak spice
1 medium onion, grated or finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp whole grain whole wheat flour
2 c beef stock
Worchestershire sauce
1 c fresh / frozen / canned peas or green beans (frozen being best)
1 c fresh / frozen / canned corn (fresh best)
1/2 large carrot, diced into small cubes or grated if you live with a bunch of big babies
1 oz light cheese

For the mashed potatoes

For the rest

Equipment

First, prep! Preheat your oven to 350% Fahrenheit, spray a roasting pan with oil. Dice or grate your onions and carrots. Roughly chop your potatoes.

 Here I will earn my ARC nickname: should you be attempting to hide these carrots, you will want to keep the carrot as upright as possible while grating, as this it will result in a shorter piece of carrot. I've been busted before by going lengthwise.

I never peel potatoes: that's where the fibre is!

Place the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. After 15 minutes, throw in the cauliflower and garlic cloves; cook for 5 more minutes, or until the potatoes are done. Drain, put back in the pot, measure the butter on top, and mash.

To break up the cauliflower, should you be using a whole head, here is whatcha do. First, keep it in the wrapping. Very important. Raise it up over your head and bring it down as hard as you can on a solid surface. Solid like a granite countertop or the floor. Make sure all the force lands on the stem, it should break right apart.

 Like that kinda.

Way easier than trying to cut it up

When the potatoes and cauliflower are completely smashed, stir in 2 tablespoons of the milk and a bit of salt and pepper. Add more milk as necessary to make the potatoes fluffy and spread-able.

Heat a large-ish pan, add the beef and sprinkle with some salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp of the thyme and some St. Laurent steak spice. Cook, breaking up the chunks, until it is almost cooked through and most of the fat is rendered. Drain that.

Add in the onions and grated / diced carrots, cook for two more minutes then add in the garlic. Just one more minute!

Sprinkle on the flour, stirring to coat all of the meat. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Gradually add in the stock, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan each time.

When all the stock is added in, re-season (salt, pepper, Montreal steak spice and the last 1/2 tsp of Thyme), taste and bring to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the corn and peas / green beans.

Pour in to the prepared roasting pan, top with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle on half of the cheese.

A big ice-cream (for cookies, really) scoop makes spreading the potatoes so much easier. Scoop, and then connect.

Bake covered for 35 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then remove the cover, sprinkle on the rest of the cheese and bake for 10 more minutes.

I broke this into six servings at 307 calories per, which is a little on the high side, but you do get one serving of vegetables and all your starch at one time.

Enjoy!