Shepherds Pie

College introduced me to many things and one of those things is shepherds pie.  My best friend from college, Lila, would make it with her family when she was growing up in Maine where they have long cold winters.  She made it for me freshman year and it became a regular when we were all cooking together.  I have a great memory of making it with Lila, her boyfriend Ben, and Steve when we all went skiing in the Catskills over a spring break.  It was delicious to begin with and having the four of us make it together added the extra love it needed.  

Shepherds Pie

4 Russet Potatoes
1 pound ground beef or turkey

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery (optional), chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 large clove of garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons Worcester sauce

1/4 cup red wine or beef broth

3 teaspoons corn starch

1/2 cup frozen peas

Peel the potatoes and chop into 1 inch pieces.  Put in a pot of water and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 20 minutes or until soft.  In a dutch oven saute the carrot and onion in the butter until soft when you add the celery and garlic.  After cooking it for about 1 minute add in the ground beef, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and cook until done.

When the potatoes are done preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the potatoes the way you would prepare your mashed potatoes and add milk, cheese, salt and pepper to your liking. When the meat is done add the Worcester sauce, red wine, and corn starch. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes before adding the peas.  Spread the meat mixture so it is flat and then spread the mashed potatoes on top. Place the dutch oven in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Serve with a big spoon and make sure you scoop all the way to the bottom to get an even mixture of meat and potatoes!