Introduction: Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's pie is one of my family's favorite dinners. It is a hearty meal all mushed together, and topped with a layer of mashed potatoes that has been crisped up under the broiler. If you want to be more authentic to the name use ground lamb.

Step 1: Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 Onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon Garlic chopped (2 cloves)
• 1 Beef bouillon cube
• 1 1/2 Water +more if it starts to look dry
• 1 teaspoon Thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon Rosemary
• 2 tablespoons Flour
• 1 tablespoons Tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons Red wine
• 2 Carrots chopped
• 1/2 cup Peas
• 1 teaspoon Salt or to your taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 tablespoon ketchup (optional)

Potato topping:
2 1/2 pounds of Russet potatoes
1/2 cup Milk
4 tablespoons Butter
1 Egg yolk
Salt and pepper- to your taste
1 large ziplock bag

Step 2: Potato Topping

Peel potatoes and cut into roughly 1 inch cubes. Fill a large pot with Cold water then add your potatoes, make sure potatoes are completely submerged then bring water to a rolling boil and cook for 15-20 minutes or until a fork can pierce through a cube with no resistance.

Drain well. Turn off heat and then add your milk and butter, stir till absorbed, then add the egg yolk (helps with browning later on) salt, pepper, and mash until the texture is smooth and all ingredients incorporated. Set aside to cool.

Once cooled put mashed potatoes in a ziplock bag, packed to one corner of the bag. Set aside till the meat filling is ready to cover.

Step 3: Meat Filling

Brown beef in a large skillet on medium high heat, drain off excess fat. Make a well in the center of the beef and add onions, then pour 1 tablespoon of oil on top of the onions and cook till they are slightly translucent. Make a well again and put the garlic in the center and cook till fragrant about 30 seconds. Add carrots, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and mix well.

Step 4: Flavor It Up!

Dissolve beef bouillon cube in 1/2 cup water. Can be microwaved in water to dissolve it faster (chicken broth can be subbed in).

Next make another well in the beef mixture and put 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (sauce can be subbed but you will have to add more to get the same flavor so reduce your water).

Let the tomato paste brown on the bottom of the pan. It helps take some of the tang out and helps develop the flavor of the dish.

After your tomato paste has browned nicely then deglaze the pan by adding the 1/2 cup of water with the dissolved bouillon cube. Scrap bottom brown bits up and mix in.

Add red wine, Worcestershire sauce, peas, and my secret ingredient Ketchup, mix till combined.

Next sprinkle flour on top and mix in. Then add remaining water some at a time stirring as you add till you get the filling to the sauciness you like. Let simmer for 5 mins.

But for more gravy goodness add more water.

**Also Taste the filling and check if you need more salt or pepper.

***Last one, if you want to transfer to a pretty dish or your pan is not broiler safe (has a plastic handle) now is the time to move it to a broiler safe container.

Step 5: Make It Fancy! Potato Time!

Cut the corner off of the ziplock bag, large enough to pipe out your potatoes. Proceed to cover the meat filling with the potato topping, then take a fork and run it over the mashed potato topping. This will help with browning and create the yummy crispy bits of potato.

Step 6: Broiling Time

Keep oven rack in the center of the oven and broil the pie for 10-15 minutes or until it's pretty and golden.

Step 7: Dinner Time!

Hope you enjoy :D