Cooking with Crosby Roamann: Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 1 tblspn each Olive oil and butter to sauté onions
• 3 Cloves garlic optional
• 1lb ground lamb
• 1lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 box/can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tblspn each rosemary, sage, thyme, sea salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1 bag of frozen peas and carrots
• 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled, sliced, and boiled for mashed potatoes with butter and sour cream
• 2 cups grated shard. Cheddar cheese

Preparation

• Melt the butter and olive in a large skillet over medium-high heat
• Saute the onions (and garlic) for 10 minutes, just until they start to brown and stick to the pan, then remove the onions from the skillet
• Add the ground beef and lamb together and season with salt and dried herbs, and brown the meat all over, about ten minutes, crushing and turning the meat as you go.
• Add the box of chopped tomatoes and stir to bring the meat and tomatoes all together
• Let this simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, prepare your mashed potatoes topping by boiling your peeling and sliced potatoes in just enough water to cover them. When they are soft and crush easily (about 10-15 minutes), pour off the remaining water, return the potatoes to the pot, and add about 1/3 cup each of butter and sour cream. Mash these all together with a hand masher and fork for a soft and creamy consistency.
• At the end of the simmer, add one bag of frozen peas and carrots, and bring the mixture all together.
• When the meat sauce and the potatoes are ready, assemble your Shepherd's pie ~ layer the bottom of a 9x13 metal pan evenly with your meat sauce (about 1/2 inch thick), then apply a 1/2 inch thick layer of mashed potatoes on top. Sprinkle the top of the mashed potatoes with grated, shard cheddar cheese.
• Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes, until the cheese topping is melted, lightly browned, and the meat sauce is bubbling up around the edges of the dish.