Samhain Shepards Pie

Good Afternoon Kitchen Witches!

When I want comfort food that really delivers on the warm and cozy vibes, there is really only one answer, a hearty shepherd's pie.

Because this meat and potatoes dish is such a classic, I spent awhile perfecting the comfort food this Samhain season.

In my recipe, ground beef is cooked with aromatics and red wine before being combined with corn and peas, all covered with a blanket of velvety, rich mashed potatoes and topped with Parmesan before being broiled until golden brown.

Here is everything you need to know to make the most comforting version of this classic dish of mine.

Begin by preheating your oven to 400° and placing a medium saucepan over a burner at medium heat.

Into the saucepan add your potatoes and cover completely with water so there is ½” of excess water over the bunch.

Season the water with 1 tablespoon of salt and turn the heat up to high to allow the water to boil.

Cook the potatoes for about 15 minutes until they are fork-tender.

One tip to ensure your potatoes cook through is to use a fork to poke small holes all around the potatoes before boiling.

Drain the liquid from the pot and set the cooked potatoes aside in the colander or strainer.

Then, in the same pot, cook the butter and half-and-half over medium-low heat, stirring throughout until the butter is melted.

Then return the potatoes to the pot and use a potato masher or fork to thoroughly mash the potatoes.

Add in your fresh chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste before removing from the heat.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add in the beef, seasoning with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking the mixture up with a wooden spoon, for 8 minutes until the beef is cooked through and no longer pink.

Then, using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef from the skillet and onto a plate on the side.

We want to keep about 2 tablespoons of the beef drippings in the skillet for the gravy, but discard all the rest of the liquid.

In the same skillet, add in the onion and carrots and cook over medium heat for about 6 minutes until the onions begin to soften.

Then add in the aromatics and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant. This should only take a few minutes.

Once fragrant, add the cooked beef back into the skillet and stir in the tomato paste. Cook the mixture until the tomato paste darkens in color to a nice brick red and has begun to smell warm and sweet.

Then add in the red wine and cook for about 3 minutes until nearly all of the liquid has evaporated.

Add in both the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and allow the liquid to come up to a simmer before sprinkling with flour.

Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened. If the liquid isn’t thickening, add in another pinch of flour until you reach the consistency you are looking for; just remember, a little goes a long way in thickening the sauce.

Once the gravy has developed nicely, add in the corn and peas and stir to combine.

Transfer this mixture to a baking pan and use a rubber spatula to roughly form a flat top, then dollop the top with mashed potatoes and similarly spread the potatoes to a consistent layer over the beef mixture.

Do not worry about perfection here, this is a fairly rustic meal, we just want to make sure that the beef and potatoes are proportioned evenly throughout the pie.

Sprinkle Parmesan over the top of the potatoes and season with a pinch of black pepper.

Pop the pan into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes until the beef mixture is bubbling. Once bubbling, place the shepherd’s pie on a rack in the upper third of the oven and turn the broiler to high.

Allow the dish to broil for about 2 minutes until the top of the potatoes begins to brown. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with the reserved parsley then let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Shepherd's Pie

2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/2" thick

Kosher salt

2/3 cup half-and-half

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. canola oil

2 lb. lean ground beef

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

3 Tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Cooking spray

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup of frozen peas

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with water by 1/2"; season with 1 tablespoon salt.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Drain potatoes; set aside in colander.

Step 2

In same pot over medium-low heat, cook half-and-half and butter, stirring until butter is melted.

Return potatoes to pot. Mash potatoes with a potato masher or a fork.

Stir in 1 tablespoon parsley; season with salt and pepper.

Remove from heat.

Step 3

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add beef; season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Break up beef with a wooden spoon and cook until crumbled and no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons beef drippings.

Step 4

In same skillet over medium heat, cook onion and carrots, stirring, until onions begin to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.

Return beef and accumulated juices to skillet; stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring, until tomato paste turns dark red, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add wine and cook, stirring, until almost completely evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in broth and Worcestershire and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in corn and peas.

Step 5

Pour beef mixture into a 13" x 9" pan and dollop mashed potatoes on top. Lightly spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray and spread potatoes over beef mixture.

Sprinkle with Parmesan; season with a pinch of pepper.

Step 6

Bake shepherd’s pie until beef mixture is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven.

Place a rack in upper third of oven and turn broiler to high. Broil until top begins to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 7

Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Blessings,

Rev. Bella Shay