Hyped Up Shepherd's Pie with Mushrooms and Greens

If it's comfort food you're after, then this shepherd's pie definitely delivers. Hyped up with shiitake mushrooms and greens, it's as much a nutritional powerhouse as it is a family favorite.
Hyped Up Shepherd's Pie with Mushrooms and Greens
serves 6-8

6 potatoes, quartered
1/2 cup heavy cream

3 T butter
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 bay leaves

2 T flour
1/2 cup zinfandel (or other full-bodied, fruity red wine)
1 1/2 cups mushroom stock
1 T worchestershire sauce
6 cups tender greens, torn or chopped (turnip, beet, mustard greens, spinach, or swiss chard all work well)

Bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil.  Add a liberal dose of salt to the water, along with your quartered potatoes. Return to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Remove from heat.  Mash with cream and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400ºF

Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Melt about 2 tablespoons of the butter, and then add mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms are well caramelized, then remove from heat and set mushrooms aside.  In the same pan, melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.  Add onions, celery, and carrots and allow to saute for 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables have just started to become tender. Add garlic and ground lamb, cooking until the lamb is nicely browned.  Sprinkle with worchestershire sauce and stir to incorporate.  Add chopped rosemary and thyme and stir until fragrant.

Now add the flour, stirring constantly and allowing it to cook until any floury flavor has been eliminated. Add wine and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the alcohol smell has dissipated. Then, add mushroom stock allowing the mixture to simmer over medium heat until the sauce thickens and becomes gravy-like. At this point, add the greens (as well as the reserved shiitake mushrooms). Stir to incorporate and allow to cook briefly -- just until wilted.

Pour vegetable mixture into a large baking dish, spreading evenly over the bottom of the dish. Top with mashed potatoes, fluffing them slightly with a fork.  Sprinkle the top with paprika and then place into the preheated oven.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.


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2 comments:

Esperanza said...

Never thought of putting greens in my shepperd's pie. I will have to give it a try - looks good!

m3 ds said...

I made this and it was delicious!
Of course I made a few changes. This turned out wonderful. I will be making
this recipe again.