Truffled Shepherd's Pie
Whis hearty and traditional Irish meal combines full-flavored lamb with vegetables that traditionally grow abundantly in Ireland. In this version, we add some earthy flair to the dish in the form of truffles.
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
½ whole milk or half and half
4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, washed and
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 pound ground lamb, ground beef, or ground turkey
1 ½ tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp fresh thyme, roughly chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup beef or chicken stock
1 tbsp Sabatino Tartufi Sliced Summer Truffles
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a large pot, add potato cubes and fill with cold water to cover the potatoes by 1”. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to slow simmer. Add a generous amount of kosher salt to the water towater to the water to season the potatoes and allow potatoes to cook for 20-25 minutes. Check potatoes by piercing one with a sharp knife. The knife should pierce the potato easily.
3. Drain the potatoes in a colander and allow to cool slightly.
4. Once slightly cooled, but still warm, run the potatoes through a ricer or food mill.
5. Return large pot to mediumto the medium high heat, add milk or half and half and bring to a simmer, then add potatoes back to pot, stirring or whisking to incorporate milk with potatoes.
6. Taste the potatoes, adjust seasoning with salt, then add chunks of unsalted butter and continue stirring to incorporate.
7. Taste again, adjust seasoning, then remove from heat and set aside.
8. For the meat filling, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, then brown ground meat with fresh thyme, stirring occasionally to break apart into smaller morsels. Once cooked through, season with salt and pepper. Then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a separate bowl.
9. Next, add onions, carrots, and celery to skillet, season with salt and pepper and saute until slightly softened about 5 minutes. Then remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and add to bowl with the browned meat.
10. Add tomato paste to the skillet and stir occasionally until bright red color starts to turn slightly brown. Then add worcestershire sauce, stirring vigorously to incorporate.
11. Next, add meat and vegetables, along with frozen peas back to the pot, and sprinkle lightly with all-purpose flour then stir to mix together. Cook over medium-high heat about 2-3 minutes longer then remove from heat and set aside to assemble Shepherd’s Pie.
12. In a deep 9” x 13” tray, add meat and vegetable mix and spread out evenly across the pan. Next, layer on top the mashed potatoes to create an even, smooth layer over the meat.
13. Add to the trayto tray to oven and bake for aboutbake about 20-25 minutes, or until mashed potatoes are nicely browned on top.
14.Remove from the ovenfrom oven and let rest about 5-10 minutes before serving.
15. To serve, using a sharp knife, cut the Shepherd’s Pie into individual serving portions, then use a wide spatula to scoop each individual portion ontoon to serving plates, garnish with Sliced Summer Truffles and serve.