Shepherd's Pie

This classic dish couldn't be easier to make!  I throw in a few frozen vegetables to speed things up to make it an easy weeknight meal (don't let the cook time fool you: it's about 30 minutes at the stove and 30 in the oven.  Savory lamb is cooked in a rich sauce that is quick to make, but tastes like it's stewed all day.  Creamy mashed potatoes top it all off - what could beat that?  This is also a great make-ahead dish that holds up well in the refrigerator if you want to make it a few days in advance and cook it off during the week.

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground lamb
• 2 Tbsp. bacon drippings
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. Wondra or all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup red wine or dark beer, such as a stout, porter, or brown ale
• 1 cup fresh or frozen sweet peas
• 1 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (or mixed vegetables of your choice)
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 stalks rosemary
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 3 russet potatoes
• 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
• 4 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
• salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4-5
​Cook Time: 1 hour

Boil potatoes in salted water until they are easily pierced with a fork.  Drain, mash, and combine with milk, butter, and salt & pepper.
Heat bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add lamb  and brown, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook until softened; add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Add Wondra and cook for a few minutes to remove the raw taste.  Deglaze with wine or beer and cook until the alcohol cooks off.  Add back lamb with the peas and corn and stir to combine.  Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and herbs; stir to combine and allow to cook uncovered until combined and sauce is reduced.
Remove from heat and put in an oiled casserole dish.  Cover with mashed potatoes and dot top with butter.  Bake for about 30 minutes on 350 until top is browned and bubbly.