Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potato Crust

Recipe by The View From the Great Island

Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potato Crust is the perfect fall dinner.  It’s a one pot meal that’s earthy, satisfying and easy. My husband and I spent a little time in England when we were just married.  He was in graduate school in London and we rented a tiny flat a few tube stops away in Wimbledon…on Crooked Billet, to be exact.  We lived next door to a pub, and there was a huge park, the common, right at the end of the lane.  We shopped on the High Street, at the butcher, the cheese shop, the fishmonger, we ate endless fish and chips and Indian take out, and we developed a soft spot for classic British farmhouse dishes like this.  It’s also known as Cottage Pie, and the name suggests humble origins…cheap and plentiful potatoes were a staple food of 19th century rural farm workers who lived in small ‘cottages’ dotting the countryside. I made this all the time when our kids were little, usually the classic way, with ground beef and a mashed potato crust.  This one is one of a thousand versions you can come up with, by varying the meat and veg, as well as the topping.  …

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground lamb, or a mix of ground lamb and ground beef
• 1 medium onion (cut in wedges)
• 2 shallots (cut in wedges)
• 2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
• 2 large carrots (sliced)
• 8 cremini mushrooms (quartered)
• several sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
• several leaves fresh sage (chopped)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour (use a gluten free flour if desired)
• ⅓ cup red wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tbsp butter
• ⅓ cup half and half or milk (more if necessary)
• salt and fresh cracked pepper

Method

1. Set oven to 350F
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them in large chunks. Put them in a saucepan, cover with water and cook until they are completely tender. A sharp knife should pierce them easily.
3. Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pan. Brown the lamb, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks.
4. Add the rest of the vegetables and saute for several minutes until the veggies start to soften.
5. Add the fresh herbs, then remove the meat and veggies from the pan and set aside while you make the gravy.
6. Melt the butter in the same pan, then add in the flour and cook for a minute or two, whisking.
7. Whisk in the wine and stock, and heat to a simmer, stirring constantly. When the sauce thickens, add the vegetables and meat back into the pot.
8. Cover and simmer for a few minutes, and check the seasoning.
9. Mash the sweet potatoes with the butter and half and half. Use a hand held mixer to get a smooth consistency. Add more milk or half and half if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Transfer the lamb and vegetable mixture to a deep dish pie plate, or a casserole. Top with the mashed sweet potatoes.
11. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until browned and bubbling. Finish under the broiler if you want more brown color.

View the recipe instructions at The View From the Great Island