Not Your Mommas Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

• 1 and a Half Pounds of Russet Potatoes (peeled and cut)
• 1 and a Half Quarts of Chicken Stock
• 1/4 Cup of Butter Milk or Sour Cream
• 1/3 Cup of Heavy Cream or Half and Half
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
• 1 Cup of Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
• 1/4 Cup of Grated Parmagiano Reggiano
• 1/4 Cup of Celery (chopped)
• 1 Medium Onion (chopped)
• 1/2 Cup of Carrots (chopped)
• 1 Cup of Canned or Frozen Corn
• 1 Cup of Frozen Peas
• 1 and a Half Pounds of Ground Beef
• 3 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste
• 3 Tablespoons of Flour
• 1/8 Cup of Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 Cup of Fresh Rosemary (chopped fine)
• 2 Tablespoons of Dried Thyme
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes until tender in 1 quart of the chicken stock, if potatoes are not completely covered, add more stock or a bit of water (reserve a cup and a half for the pie)
2. When potatoes are tender to touch with a fork, drain the stock (technically you could reserve it and use it toward your cup and a half needed for the pie).
3. Mash the potato with a hand masher or fork, add the creams and buttermilk
4. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Add in the two eggs
6. Stir just until lumps are gone (do not over stir or potatoes will be too sticky)
7. Set Potatoes aside for now
8. In a frying pan add your tablespoon of olive oil and sweat your onion celery and carrots until glistening.
9. Add in the ground beef and cook until no more pink shows in the meat
10. Drain the excess grease from the frying pan into a bowl to discard when cool
11. Add in the tomato paste, the worcestershire, the rosemary, and thyme, and more black pepper
12. Add in the flour and mix around then also add your first cup of chicken stock ( stir and your mixture should have the consistency of chili, if too thick add the additional stock)
13. Remove the mixture from the heat once you have the consistency you are seeking
14. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
15. Gently fold the cheeses into your mashed potatoes
16. Now you are ready to assemble your pie
17. In a baking dish add the layer of meat first, then the peas and corn
18. Using a rubber spatular spread a thick layer of the mashed potatoes over your existing ingredients you can form peaks by patting the potatoes with your spatula and moving it straight up
19. You can optionally add salt and pepper to the top, a bit of shredded Parmigiano Reggiano and or paprika and or dried chives
20. Bake at 400 F uncovered for 30-35 minutes
    Enjoy!