Crustless Shepherds Pie

This amazingly tasty dish has been making an appearance throughout Europe for hundreds of years. Mutton, lamb, beef and even fish, can easily find it's way into this British pie. 

I was first introduced to an English Shepherds pie early in my college days while on a short one month missions trip to Englend. Previously in my home, we made this with a pastry crust, but recently a British friend of mine told me that they make theirs without a crust all together. So easy to prepare and still just as satisfying! 

This recipe is pretty much allergy friendly and has ingredients that can easily be adapted to fit your dietary needs. Hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients

6 cups Mashed Potatoes (recipe follows)

2 cups Brown Sauce (recipe follows)

2 lbs. Ground Lamb or Beef

½ Onion

Salt and pepper

Butter or margarine

3 cups Dubliner Cheese Grated, I use Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese (*Please see note at the bottom)

3 Carrots cleaned and cut into small squares and cooked till tender.

1 Cup Peas (frozen not canned) cooked

6 Crimini Mushrooms cleaned and sliced

Mashed Potatoes

2-3 pounds russet potatos

3 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

3/4 to 1 cup raw milk or *Rice milk 

Salt and white pepper to taste

Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. In a large heavy saucepan simmer potatoes in salted water to cover by 1 inch 10 minutes, or until tender, and drain in a colander. In pan or bowl combine potatoes, butter or margarine, and 3/4-cup milk. With a potato masher or blender mash potatoes until just smooth, adding more milk and butter if necessary to make a creamy but not pasty potato. *Over cooking and blending your potatoes will make them too starchy. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Brown Sauce

3 shallots or scallions, finely chopped

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

10-½ -ounces beef broth, canned is fine

1 Tb. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce (this is gluten free)

1 Tsp. Fresh Tarragon leaves finely chopped

½ Tsp. thyme

Salt, pepper

Gluten Free Beurre Manie (recipe follows)

Sauté chopped shallots or scallions in butter. Gradually add wortsheshire and beef broth. Let it come to a boil and add the seasonings. Cook down for a few minutes. Add Beurre manié to thicken to taste. Let simmer for a few minutes and strain. Set aside.

Ground Lamb or Beef

Finely chop ½ an onion. Sauté in 2 Tbsp. butter. Add ground meat and cook. Drain liquids. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Vegetables

Mix prepared vegetables together.

Beurre Manié

Ingredients:

1oz Butter

3/4oz Cornflour

1 Blend the cornflour and butter together in a small dish.

2 Add the Beurre Manié in very small lumps to the sauce that you wish to thicken, a few at a time.

3 A good way to stop the sauce going lumpy is to add a few lumps on the tip of a knife, scraped down the side of the pan.  This melts slowly, ensuring no lumps.

4 Stir into the hot liquid until completely blended.

5 Return pan to the heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring all the time until the sauce is thickened.

Preparations

In a lasagna or sheet cake pan, start with mashed potatoes layer your ingredients, always adding cheese and sauce after each layer. Repeat process until you end with mashed potatoes on top. Potatoes can be piped on for a decorative finish but it is not necessary. Bake Shepherds Pie in a pre-heated 375° oven for 20 minutes. If potatoes start to brown too quickly loosely cover with foil.

*Cheese can be omitted for those with a dairy intolerance, or substitute your favorite dairy free cheese.

** Any milk ingredient in this recipe can be substituted with rice, coconut or almond milk to fit your dietary need.