We have this Shepherd’s Pie every St. Patrick’s day with homemade Irish soda bread. We love to make this the traditional way with ground lamb, but it can also be made with ground beef or even ground turkey. If you do not have a cast iron skillet to use, any 9x13 casserole dish will also work very well.

Mashed Potatoes

1 1/2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

1/2 c. very warm milk

2T melted butter

3/4 t salt

Boil the potatoes until soft and transfer to a stand mixer. Mix at medium speed until mashed well. Add the butter and salt. Slowly add the milk a little at a time while mixing (you may not need all of the milk). Continue to add milk until the mashed potatoes are a smooth, but thick consistency.

__________________________________________

Meat Mixture

1 lb. ground lamb

2 T. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 minced garlic cloves

2 T. tomato paste

1 c beef broth

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 c. Frozen peas

1 c. Frozen corn

1 t. Dried rosemary

1/2 t. Dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a large cast iron skillet, brown the lamb, onion, carrots, and garlic in the olive oil. Add the tomato paste, beef broth, worchestershire sauce, peas, corn, and seasonings and bring to a simmer. Cover with mashed potatoes and bake for 25 minutes or until mashed potatoes are just beginning to brown.