Shepherd's Pie

[CrazyCatLady]

We love this.

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 350

1 pound breakfast sausage
3 medium-sized sweet potatoes (I use the microwaveable ones)
1 can corn or any other vegetable
1 TBSP minced garlic
2 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 TBSP chopped red onion
2 TBSP Italian seasoning
3TBSP brown sugar
1/2 cup melted real butter

Microwave the sweet potatoes, brown the sausage, add the garlic, Montreal Steak seasoning, red onion, and Italian seasoning to it while browning.

Drain the sausage, mash up the sweet potatoes and add the brown sugar and butter to it while mashing.

In a casserole dish, put the sausage on the bottom, layer with corn (drained), then top it with the sweet potatoes.

Cook at 350 until the sweet potatoes start to brown, about 20 -30 minutes.

You can substitute any canned or fresh vegetables.

We had this with watermelon tonight. ****Burrrrrrpp****

 

[menumaker]

Hi,
Just to say that on this side of the pond, 'Shepherd's Pie' is traditionally made with minced Lamb ( hence the Shepherd's bit) and Cottage Pie is made with minced beef. Both, usually with carrot and onion and always have a topping of conventional mashed potato.Your's sounds very interesting but not Shepherd's pie as we would think of it.

 

[CraigC]

There are many variations of "Shepherd's Pie". I'm partial to Paul Prudhomme's version of Cajun shepherd's pie. Made with beef and pork. Nice and spicy.

 

[Janet H]

I make a variation on this as well each year after the holidays, freezing leftovers from thanksgiving turkey and then using lamb from Christmas dinner.

The ingredient is somewhat variable and defendant on the veggies we had with Christmas dinner but I always add diced apple to lighten up the mix along with carrot and onion.

Lamb
Turkey
chopped apple
onion
carrot
chopped parsley
left over juices and gravies
other veggies as left over from dinner (usually green beans, peas, parsnips, etc) No cabbage-y veggies allowed in pie!
Pepper (careful with the salt - leftovers usually have enough already)

Top with mashed potatoes or pie crust and bake.

 

[Addie]

Hi,
Just to say that on this side of the pond, 'Shepherd's Pie' is traditionally made with minced Lamb ( hence the Shepherd's bit) and Cottage Pie is made with minced beef. Both, usually with carrot and onion and always have a topping of conventional mashed potato.Your's sounds very interesting but not Shepherd's pie as we would think of it.

We did have a lively discussion a while back of what constitutes a "Shepherd's Pie." We finally decided like so many recipes that make it across the pond and back again, to travel the world, an original dish can be changed over and over again, even though the original name stays with it.

When I look at the recipe of CCL, I see that she has listed many foods that are popular in the southern part of our country. The ground meat, (breakfast sausage) mashed potatoes and the choice of second veggie. The basics for Shepherd's Pie. The rest are just seasonings and flavorings. Since she has implemented a Sweet Potato, she has added brown sugar which is a popular addition to a SP down south. She also has included the melted butter. A standard addition for the SP.

I think if I made the standard Shepherd's Pie as it was originally made, Crazy Cat Lady would probably not care for it. (I personally love lamb.) I would have to keep in mind what she grew up eating as everyday food (Sweet Potatoes and breakfast sausages) and adjust the recipe just as she did to suit her own taste buds.

I don't think there is anymore right or wrong Shepherd's or Cottage Pie except where it originated. The rest of the world has sort of bastardized the name and recipe. But it is all still a favorite around the world, no matter what you call it or how you make it.

 

[menumaker]

I totally agree and here in France they also have their own version. It is the ultimate comfort food and everyone should make it how they like it. I meant no offence,I was just saying that it was very different from our traditional version.
One of the most popular Indian Curry's is Chicken Tikka Masala and that originated in Glasgow Scotland!! If it tastes good, it IS good.

 

[Addie]

I totally agree and here in France they also have their own version. It is the ultimate comfort food and everyone should make it how they like it. I meant no offence,I was just saying that it was very different from our traditional version.
One of the most popular Indian Curry's is Chicken Tikka Masala and that originated in Glasgow Scotland!! If it tastes good, it IS good.

No offense taken. Nor was any intended from this side of the pond.

I think I need a vacation from DC. I find myself spelling like our international members. our instead of or, ence instead of ense, etc. I guess I am easily led astray!

 

[Mad Cook]

We did have a lively discussion a while back of what constitutes a "Shepherd's Pie." We finally decided like so many recipes that make it across the pond and back again, to travel the world, an original dish can be changed over and over again, even though the original name stays with it.

When I look at the recipe of CCL, I see that she has listed many foods that are popular in the southern part of our country. The ground meat, (breakfast sausage) mashed potatoes and the choice of second veggie. The basics for Shepherd's Pie. The rest are just seasonings and flavorings. Since she has implemented a Sweet Potato, she has added brown sugar which is a popular addition to a SP down south. She also has included the melted butter. A standard addition for the SP.

I think if I made the standard Shepherd's Pie as it was originally made, Crazy Cat Lady would probably not care for it. (I personally love lamb.) I would have to keep in mind what she grew up eating as everyday food (Sweet Potatoes and breakfast sausages) and adjust the recipe just as she did to suit her own taste buds.

I don't think there is anymore right or wrong Shepherd's or Cottage Pie except where it originated. The rest of the world has sort of bastardized the name and recipe. But it is all still a favorite around the world, no matter what you call it or how you make it.

Shepherd's/cottage pie was originally made using the left-overs from the Sunday roast - Shepherd's used lamb, as Menumaker says, and cottage pie used beef. Very few people would make it that way these days for various reasons and they mainly buy raw minced/ground meat.

By virtue of it's origins I don't think there can be a definitive recipe. My mother used to put a layer of sliced fresh tomatoes on top of the meat mixture under the potato. I use a mixture of potato and swede (rutabaga, I think) for the topping and sometimes a scattering of grated cheese on top if I'm feeling extravagant. I did see a rather odd (to my thinking)recipe which advocated putting the potato in the dish and the meat on top which is an up-side down sort of sheherd's pie.

I did try Delia Smith's vegetarian shepherds pie from her original cookery course. It was stodgy, filling and gave about twice as many portions as the recipe stated and I'm afraid will be ignored in future as it gives veggie food a bad name.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

I'm retired Army, so I've been all over the planet. It seems every country has its own versions of this pie, and I like it with lamb too.

I made the Southern US version of it that night, just one of a zillion!

 

[menumaker]

I do that all the time Addie, You have nothing to worry about. Just the head going faster than the fingers i think??

 

[Addie]

I do that all the time Addie, You have nothing to worry about. Just the head going faster than the fingers i think??

Either that or the wrong keys are jumping under the wrong fingers. I say, "always blame it on the computer."

 

[CrazyCatLady]

Whatever you do, don't put a real shepherd in it. That would cause all kinds of legal hassles.

 

[menumaker]

Had a kid at school once that would not eat his dinner, cried and wanted to go home. He was only 5yrs so we called his mum. We found out the next day that he was upset because his Dad was a shepherd, the dinner was Shepherd's pie and the poor wee mite
thought that we had cooked him.!! He wouldn't stop hugging his Dad that night 'till he fell asleep, Bless.

 

[chiklitmanfan]

Here's simplicity for a Shepherd's pie the kids might even eat....

When we make this baked dish, we refer to it as "shepherd's pie" because our family, friends, and associates vaguely know what we're making. (otherwise we get bemused looks)

We make it as simple and basic as we can, especially when the grandkids come for dinner because they like it that way and will actually eat all the ingredients!

So, for the fussy eaters:

1 lb ground turkey seasoned with S & P, garlic powder, Italian seasoning.
1 Pkg frozen cut green beans,
1 Pkg instant mashed potatoes,
1 can of sloppy joe starter mix or any jar of plain pasta sauce.

(if making for a larger group, just double up on everything)

Combine the ground turkey, beans, and sauce on the bottom of a baking dish, cover with mash potatoes, and sprinkle generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese on top. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 mins. No brainer simple but the kids will actually eat it in great quantities.