Cheesy Shepherds Pie
a layer of cheese between the meat & potatoes = YUM
I often think about certain classics: “Does anyone really need another recipe for XYZ?”. There’s plenty of recipes out there for Shepherd’s Pie, I got some DM’s that told me Magnolia Table’s recipe is really great. But I have found that (similar to chicken pot pie) it’s hard to really get the depth of flavor and umami in a shepherd’s pie filling that we all crave. It can come out kind of meh. So, maybe you need just one more recipe.
Check out my Reel on instagram to see it in action.
Cheesy Shepherd’s Pie
If shepherd’s pie wasn’t already the king of cozy foods- I’ve added a layer of cheese. The recipe for my shepherds pie is at the bottom of this email is is accessible to paid subscribers.
Some tips and tricks for a more successful shepherd’s pie:
Make it ahead: the meat part of the pie always tastes WAY better if it has sit for a while. My recommendation is to make and assemble the whole thing the day before, refrigerate and pop it in the oven when you’re ready to eat.
Use half beef, half lamb: cutting half the beef with lamb really adds a lot of depth. The ground lamb is far from gamey, it’s just flavorful.
Don’t hold back on the salty: it may feel like a lot of salt when you’re making it, but it’s a lot of food and it needs the salt to bring out the flavor of all the ingredients.
A layer of cheese: this is absolutely non-traditional. But i mean, in the words of Ina, “How bad could that be?”. You could leave that step out but it added a lot of cozy deliciousness to this dish. Almost any cheese will do. I used sliced part-skim mozzarella because I had it and because it melts so well. But a nice sharp cheddar would be delicious. White American would be sinfully good - a kind of cheesesteak vibe.
What I’m Loving This Week:
My new potato masher: Sounds strange but I’ve never owned a potato masher! I just got one. It’s not the actual brand of masher I love (i bought it for the wooden handle), it’s the function. It’s such a low maintenance way of mashing not only potatoes, but anything! I’ve mashed up steamed veggies for the baby and I’ve used it to break up meat or sausage while cooking it in a pan.
Trader Joe’s Head to Toe Balm: Sometime’s I feel like I should have a separate newsletter that just reviews TJ’s items. I’m sure a great one already exists. But this stuff is.. well the bomb. A friend kindly gifted me the most INCREDIBLE balm that I am totally in love with. I went to look and see if I could order more, and the price tag gave me pause. This stuff from Trader Joe’s has a lot of similar ingredients, but said ingredients are just not organic like the other super luxurious stuff. I’ve been coating my hands, feet and around my eyes nightly with this TJ’s dupe, and I’m into it.
Cheesy Shepherd's Pie
Serves 6
Pan: I used my oven safe Le Creuset Braiser for this. If you use an oven safe pan this is a one pan meal. Alternatively you can cook the filling and transfer to a 9” x 13” baking dish, top with the cheese and potatoes and bake.
Potato Topping:
2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes (5-6 medium sized), peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks