random thoughts on Shepherd's Pie

I lived away from home in high school, but never ate the Shepherd's Pie. It was on the dining hall menu often, but I really wasn't sure what it was, and it wasn't one of the things Mom made back home. Little did I realize it was just another casserole. I grew up on casseroles.

A few years ago, I made my first Shepherd's Pie. It was a standard recipe, like many of the ones you can find online, but it was a little bland. Although I do not make Shepherd's Pie often, I like to try something new each time. When I finally nail it, I'll write down what I did.

Last night's was the best yet. I loosely followed Alton Brown's recipe using onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and thyme as seasonings. I used a bag of mixed frozen veggies with the carrots included, rather than using fresh carrots. I also used beef rather than lamb. I didn't have tomato paste, so I used a squirt of ketchup. It worked with the rosemary, thyme and garlic, adding a hint of sweetness and richness to the sauce, which was thickened with a sprinkle of flour over the cooked beef.

The mashed potatoes were a big improvement. I had about a cup of leftover Walla Walla sweet onion cheese dip, made a few days earlier with chopped Walla Walla onions, cheddar, parmesan and mayonnaise. The dip was baked and served as a hot dip, and it had the lovely aroma of caramelized sweet onions and bubbly, golden browned sharp cheddar.

As much as I liked the dip, I wasn't sure I would eat any more of it as a dip, so, I added it to the potatoes, along with a little butter and milk. It was superb-- a great way to give the mashed potatoes flavor. Will have to remember that trick.