Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie

 

So what exactly is a Shepherd’s Pie and how is it different from a Cottage Pie? I wasn’t sure of that answer so I did some research, here is what I found. Basically a Shepherd’s Pie has two main components a layer of minced meat topped with mashed potatoes and baked. Most of the time the meat has a gravy and some vegetables with it. Often times those vegetables seem to be carrots and/or peas. It is also very common to have some shredded cheese on top of the potatoes. As for the difference between a Cottage pie and a Shepherd’s Pie it comes down to the meat used in the filling. To really be a Shepherd’s Pie the filling should be lamb/mutton. So technically speaking this is a Cottage Pie but for most people the terms are interchangeable and no matter what the filling is based on if it is has the meat (or a substitute), gravy, veggies and is topped with mashed potatoes and baked it is a Shepherd’s Pie.

That was probably more than anyone needed to know about the subject but if you are still with me thank you. Now onto the recipe for today.

I love a good Shepherd’ s Pie especially with the cooler weather we are getting now. And although I have some recipes I love that take both beef and lamb I think I like this meat-less version better than any of the others. There is something about the combination that makes it a very pleasing dish. It is very filling but not to the point you feel stuffed. You still feel pretty good about yourself after eating it even if you overindulge a bit.

This version is vegetarian if you wish and could also be make to be vegan if desired with a just a few simple substitution. You could also go with an almost vegetarian version. I’ll talk about that in a moment.

As for dishes to bake in I love cooking mine is my two 1 ½ cup casserole dishes. That way each serving is in it’s own casserole dish making plating so much easier. Also if both aren’t going to be eaten right away it is easy to store and reheat later. This could also be baked off in a 3 cup casserole dish or you could leave it in the skillet you make the filling in and just pop the mashed potatoes on top and bake it that way providing your skillet is oven safe.

So lets talk about the ingredients and the steps involved in making this.

We need to start by cooking the potatoes for the mashed potatoes since they will take a while. You can use whatever type of potato you like to use for mashed potatoes. I have some large russets on hand since that is what I am using for the Cook the Cookbook project so I used a couple of those. That gave me slightly more potatoes than I needed but just one wouldn’t have been enough. Simply peel the potatoes and cut them up. The size you cut the potatoes and veggies will determine how long they cook.

Now onto the prepping the rest of the ingredients. Clean and cut the mushrooms in quarters and set aside.

Peel and dice the carrots and the onion and set aside.

While those potatoes are cooking we are going to create the filling. Start by cooking the cut up mushrooms in some olive oil in a large skillet. You want to get them browned in this first step.

Then we’ll add the carrots and onion and cook them until tender.

The sauce is created in the pan with all the veggies. Butter will add the needed fat to create the roux as well as add flavor. Once melted we will add the flour and seasonings to finish that roux.

To help round out the flavor we are now adding some tomato paste. We only need a small amount (1 ½ ounces) You could use the tomato paste from a tube or for a more economical solution do what I do. I buy the tomato paste in a can at the store and divide it up into 1 ½ ounce portions in small covered containers. I then bag the containers up and freeze them. It just take a short time for the tomato paste to thaw out and it is a lot cheaper than those tubes and still no waste. The tomato paste will be added to the roux in the pan to help develop the flavor.

Once the tomato paste is incorporated add the broth and stir to combine. For broth my favorite is a mushroom broth, but it can be a bit hard to find but is easy to make and freeze. You could also use a vegetable broth or even a beef broth if you are not concerned about being totally vegetarian.

Bring the pan to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. At this point taste the sauce and season as desired. Depending on the salt level of the broth you are using may or may not need any more salt and/or pepper. If your potatoes are not cooked put the pan off heat with a lid on to keep it warm.

Once your potatoes are cooked drain them well. And make mashed potatoes by adding the 2 Tablespoons of butter to the hot potatoes and start mashing. Add half the shredded cheese (¼ cup) and start adding the milk a little at a time. Mash adding the milk as needed to get the texture you desire. Taste and adjust add salt and/or pepper as needed.

Spread the mashed potatoes over the filling in the casserole dishes almost to the edges of the dishes. Use a fork to flatten the potatoes some and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. I do highly recommend putting whatever casserole dish you bake these in on a sheet pan in case they bubble over a bit.

Then all that is left is to bake the casserole dishes of yumminess to get everything hot and to help the flavors to come together even more.

Since the casserole dishes are hot when they come out of the oven I usually fold a paper towel into 4 layers just a tiny bit larger than the size of the base of the casserole dish and put it on my plates before I add the hot dish. I’m not sure it’s absolutely necessary but I feel better about doing that than putting that hot casserole dish directly on my plate.

You can find a downloadable/printable version of this recipe here.

Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie

For the mashed potatoes

1 pound potatoes

¼ cup milk

2 Tablespoons butter

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

For the filling

8 ounces whole mushrooms

olive oil

2 medium carrots

1 onion

1 Tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 Tablespoon flour

1 ½ ounces tomato paste

¾ cup stock (mushroom or vegetable are best, beef would also work)

Prep the potatoes by peeling and dicing them. Then put them into a small saucepan of salted water to cover. Bring to a boil turn reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until they can easily be mashed. This could take from 10 to 20 minutes depending on how large/small you dice them.

Now onto the prepping the rest of the ingredients. Clean and cut the mushrooms in quarters and set aside. Peel and dice the carrots and the onion and set aside.

 

In a large skillet heat some olive oil over medium heat and add the mushrooms and sprinkle with a bit of salt.

 

 

 

 

 

Cook them stirring occasionally until they are browned. This will take about 10 minutes.

 

 

Add the carrots and onion and a bit 

more olive oil if the pan is dry. Sprinkle just a bit more salt and cook. Stirring occasionally until the carrots are tender about 5 to 10 minutes (again the size you cut the pieces will determine the cook time)

 

Add 1 Tablespoon of the butter and allow to melt.

 

Now add the flour, thyme and garlic powder, stir to combine and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute.

 

 

 

 

 

Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.

 

 

Once the tomato paste is incorporated add the broth and stir to combine.

Bring the pan to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens about 5 minutes. At this point taste the sauce and season as desired. Depending on the salt level of the broth you are using may or may not need any more salt and/or pepper. If your potatoes are not cooked put the pan off heat with a lid on to keep it warm.

Once your potatoes are cooked drain them well.

Add the 2 Tablespoons of butter and start mashing. Add half the shredded cheese (¼ cup) and start adding the milk a little at a time. Mash adding the milk as needed to get the texture you desire. Taste and adjust add salt and/or pepper as needed.

 

Divide the filling evenly between two individual casserole dishes (about 1 ½ cups each)

Spread the mashed potatoes over the filling in the casserole dishes almost to the
edges of the dishes. Use a fork to flatten the potatoes some and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. I do highly recommend putting whatever casserole dish you bake these in on a sheet pan in case they bubble over a bit.

Bake at 350° F for about 20 minutes to heat through and melt the cheese.

Serve and enjoy.

Makes 2 generous servings.