Shepherd’s Pie

This was delicious! Why haven’t I ever made this simple, hearty, and satifying dish?!

This recipe will definitely be in our regular rotation — and I find it amusing and fitting that it was Amy’s first shepherd’s pie — and I chose her recipe to follow! LOL

Very tasty, and super-fast to pull together. And versatile. You could do mini ramekins, you could do one big casserole, you can freeze it (just thaw it in the fridge before you bake) or you can make it up to 2 days in advance of baking (I made the meat mixture, cooled it, then added the potatoes and put it in the fridge, assembled. Then on the day we were eating, popped it in the oven until warm. Perfect!)

Shepherd’s Pie

(Sing for Your Supper)

Mashed Potato Topping:
5-6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into thirds
1/4 cup of milk
3 tbsp sour cream
2-3 tbsp Irish garlic and herb butter (or regular butter)
1/2 cup Irish extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I used standard sharp cheddar)
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Boil a large pot of water. Peel the potatoes and cut into thirds. Boil the potatoes for 10-12 minutes or until fork tender. Drain potatoes and place back into the pan. Add the milk, sour cream, butter, cheddar cheese, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper then mash with a masher or blend with a mixer until creamy and smooth. Cover with a lid and set aside.

Meat Filling and Sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef
1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp Irish garlic and herb butter (or regular butter)
2 tbsp flour
1 1/4 cup beef broth

While the potatoes are cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery then cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the lean ground beef and cook thoroughly. Add the salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
Once the beef is done cooking, mix the peas into the mixture until well combined. Pour the beef filling into a large baking dish and set aside. In the same skillet over medium heat, add the 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix thoroughly then slowly add the beef broth. Season with sea salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the beef mixture and mix thoroughly. Top the beef and vegetable mixture with the mashed potatoes. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy.

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

I really loved this recipe, but Dave wasn’t 100% sure about it. I think that the use of gruyere and fontina may be part of his hesitation – as we don’t normally use those cheeses in our macaroni and cheese – and I think I’d try it again with more ‘general’ cheeses, like a good cheddar and a mozzarella.

That being said, I loved it as it is – with the fancy cheese and all. Delicious! And it re-heats well 🙂

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

(Noble Pig)

1 pound purchased or homemade gnocchi
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
Salt and white pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Basil leaves for garnish, optional

Directions

– Preheat oven to 375^o F. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions.  Drain and place gnocchi in a single-layer in a 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.

– Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon.  Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

– Combine Gruyere and fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful.  Once all cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and pepper.

– Pour sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over top.  Bake gnocchi until they puff and cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.