As the weather in Phoenix starts to feel like Winter (yes, go ahead and laugh, the highs have gotten down as low as 60 degrees, brrrrrrrrrr), it’s time for some truly unique spins on classic comfort foods. The Shepherd’s pie, originally dubbed the Cottage Pie or English Meat Pie in the late 1700’s, has been a staple in European cooking for hundreds of years. It was originally made with mincemeat, or leftover stewed meat, a tiny ration of mirepoix (typically onion, carrots and celery), and topped with a potato topping before being baked together. It was really meant to be an edible product for the poor. It’s truly amazing how some of the bottom-feeder type dishes such as Shepherd’s Pie, or cuts of meat like Brisket and Oxtail, once thought to be poor people food, have been transformed into expensive dishes. It’s no longer cheap, with most pubs charging a premium for it, and it’s likely filled with the exact same ingredients the poor once thought of as luxury items.
My inspiration came from assessing what I had available after a recent trip to my favorite middle eastern produce market, and incorporating some of my favorite autumn root vegetables, chard (which in my house is often the most common leafy vegetable) and my forgetfulness to grab a normal russet or Yukon Gold potato and rather the 2 pounds of sweet potatoes that looked too good not to buy when I was there. I have found that the best way to cook is to draw inspiration from what is fresh, local and available rather than trying to check boxes on a recipe that you’ve found in a book or online. Cook with quality and let the market dictate the outcome of your dish. Sometimes you’ll surprise yourself and end up with a finished product that you did not initially anticipate, but that far surpasses expectations.
For this recipe, as well as the others I have posted, you can substitute ingredients if you can’t find them, or if something similar looks of better quality. It’s also important to note that things that grow great here in Arizona might not be available to you elsewhere, and the farming seasons are different so plants grow at different times of the year. The Shepherd’s Pie is an awesome dish to use adaptability, as the vegetables can be easily swapped, the meat can be substituted for plant-based meat, or something else like ground lamb, and the potato topping, well you could use any potato and get creative if you feel like making it more savory or sweet, it’s totally up to you. This recipe is a guide, and while it will produce a phenomenal cold weather dish as its outcome, the possibilities are endless.
Give it a try and let me know!
Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie with Parsnip, Sunchokes and Chard
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Topping
- 2 pounds sweet potato peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
For the Beef Mixture
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion large size, chopped
- 1 carrot medium sized, halved and sliced thin
- 2 parsnips medium sized, halved and sliced thin
- 1 pound sunchokes also known as Jerusalem Artichokes. Scrubbed clean, halved and cut into 1/4 inch chunks
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 tsp oregano use fresh if you have however dried is fine
- 1 tsp thyme use fresh if you have however dried is fine
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 bunch chard any color chard is fine, cut into thin strips
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/3 cup chicken stock
Instructions
For the Potato Topping
- Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Place the potatoes into a large pot along with a hefty pinch of salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and when cool enough to handle, place them into the bowl of a food processor. With the food processor running, add the melted butter, milk, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper, and process until smooth. Adjust seasoning to your liking.
For the Beef Mixture
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Once shimmering, add the onions, carrots, parsnip, sunchokes, garlic, thyme and oregano. Cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Add the ground beef, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir frequently until the meat is no longer pink, another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the frozen peas and chard. Stir to ensure the mixture is well combined and warmed through, another 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle the beef mixture with the flour and stir to coat. Cook for another minute and then add the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it thicken slightly, for an additional 5 minutes.
- Place the meat mixture aside until ready for assembly.
Assembly of the Shepherd's Pies
- Prior to assembling the individual Shepherd’s Pies, you can place the potato mixture into a piping bag and cutely pipe the potato topping on top of the beef mixture, or if you don’t care about cuteness, feel free to plop it or spoon it onto the beef mixture. You can also forgo the individual pies and just make one gigantic shepherd's pie. If you go this route, choose a nice sized baking dish, fill it about an inch with the beef mixture and place about half an inch to 1 inch of potato on top.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees, and once the temperature is reached, place the pies onto the top baking rack for 20 minutes. I would advise you to place a large sheet tray underneath the pies in case they ooze over, you don’t want to burn the bottom of your oven. After the 20 minutes, the potato topping should be a bit more golden. If not done to your liking or if you want a crispier potato topping, turn on the broil in your oven. Keep a close eye on the pies so you don’t burn them as that can happen quickly under a broil.
- Remove finished pies from the oven and allow a few minutes for them to cool before devouring them.
