Shepherds Pie is by no means a traditional Pakistani meal so I didn’t grow up eating it like many other people around me but that didn’t stop me from making it. Any time I don’t get to try a food because it’s not readily available as a halal option I decide to just make it myself, it’s usually simpler than I initially thought plus it’s always a learning experience. And you guys know I also love to add my own favorite flavors to food to make it fit my taste. After making this Spicy Seasoned Shepherds Pie a few times I knew I had to share. The ground beef is seasoned, succulent, and just a little spicy and with the brightness of the vegetables it’s the perfect filling for the creamy mashed potato topping that’s baked to a beautiful crisp. I think I’ve definitely given enough of a description. Let’s get started with the recipe, shall we?
Ingredients:
Ground Beef Filling:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 medium onion, diced (red or yellow)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Pakistani red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen carrots and corn
- 1/2 cup water & 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- parsley, to garnish
Mashed Potatoes:
- 4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoon salt, to taste
Directions:
First thing you want to do is prepare yourself to cut some onions. I mean it may just be one but I gotta psych myself up to fight off those tears and then end up crying anyway. Ah well, some things take time to change. Maybe after 10 years of cooking BAM the tears just don’t come! I’ll keep you all updated.
Finely dice one medium onion, red or yellow, and place in an oiled, preheated cast iron skillet. Heat the skillet on medium until oil is shiny and then add onions. This skillet is where you end up baking the pie so I used a 12 inch skillet so it was big enough to hold the filling and potatoes. If you don’t happen to have a cast iron skillet you are more than welcome to transfer the filling to a 9×13 baking dish or something if this nature. After about 5 minutes the onions brown and soften and you can add the ground beef.
While the onions soften you can go ahead and prepare the potatoes. This is called efficiency in the kitchen. Cooking smart is cooking efficient and cooking efficient means you get your food faster which, of course, everyone wants! Once the potatoes are washed, peeled, and quartered add them to a pot and completely submerge them in boiling water. Let the potatoes cook in the boiling water for 25 minutes or until fork tender. You can have it cooking while you prepare the meat! Hellooooo, efficiency! Wonderful wonderful.
I personally like my ground beef well seasoned and flavored so I add some extra non traditional spices but you can always make it to your taste by adding or omitting some spices. Minced garlic, salt, and black pepper are a must, but I also added cumin powder, Pakistani red chili powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder for a little spice. Let the spices flavor the meat while it cooks for 3-5 minutes and then add in a diced tomato. Mixing the tomato into the beef cover the pan and on a low heat let the tomato cook down. I let it cook down for at least 10 minutes and this should also help the beef to cook completely through.
Your filling is almost done! At this point you can preheat your oven to 400F for the baking. To complete everything add in your frozen vegetables, give it a stir and cover and cook on low for about 5-10 minutes until the frozen vegetables are cooked through. To thicken the filling and add some moisture combine together the water and cornstarch and add it into the filling. Mix it thoroughly and set it aside while you bring your attention back to the potatoes.
Ah look at these wonderful fork tender potatoes. Very nice, they look great but currently taste like nothing so let’s change that. Start by mashing with a fork or potato masher and then mix in the butter and then heavy cream. Heavy cream makes the potato so incredibly creamy and fluffy and I honestly think it should be in all mashed potatoes! At this point add in the salt and make sure to taste to make sure it’s to your liking. Once the mashed potatoes are smooth, uniform, and taste delicious remind yourself not to eat all of it. Instead spoon large spoonfuls on top of the flattened beef filling. Using a spoon smooth it out and then using the same spoon make a few indents to help crisp it in the oven.
Bake the pie at 400F for 30 minutes or until it is golden brown. For an extra crisp top after the 30 minutes is up keep it in the oven and turn the broiler on high and broil for 2-3 minutes until it is browned to your liking. Just make sure to keep and eye on it because it browns very quickly! And now you’re done!! Carefully take it out of the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before tucking in. Garnish with some parsley just for some color and enjoy!
Shepherds Pie
Equipment
- 12” Cast Iron Skillet or Baking Dish
Ingredients
Ground Beef Filling:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 medium onion, diced (red or yellow)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Pakistani red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen carrots and corn
- 1/2 cup water & 1 teaspoon cornstarch, combined
Mashed Potatoes:
- 4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
Instructions
- Heat up cast iron skillet with olive oil on medium heat.
- Finely dice onion and add into preheated pan. Allow to brown and soften for 5 minutes.
- Wash, peel, and quarter potatoes. In a separate pot boil enough water to submerge potatoes fully and cook for 25 minutes or until fork tender.
- In the pan with onion add in ground beef. Add in minced garlic, spices, salt and pepper. Allow spices to flavor meat as it cooks for 3-5 minutes before adding chopped tomato.
- Cover pan and on a low heat allow tomatoes to soften for 8-10 minutes.
- Once tomato is softened uncover and add in frozen vegetables. Mix vegetables in and cover and cook for 10 minutes. Combine cornstarch and water to make a slurry and add this into ground beef filling to thicken. Mix in and set the filling aside to finish mashed potatoes.
- Turn your attention back to now cooked potatoes. Drain and mash potatoes thoroughly with fork or potato masher then mix in butter, heavy cream, and salt to taste. Taste to make sure salt is to your liking.
- Take large spoonfuls of mashed potatoes and place all over beef filling in skillet. Smooth mashed potatoes flat with spoon and then use spoon to create indents on surface of mashed potatoes. These edges will crisp up in oven.
- Place pie into preheated 400° F oven for 30 minutes. After time is up keep shepherds pie in oven and turn broiler on high and broil for 2-3 minutes until top is golden brown and crisp.
- Carefully take out of oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before garnishing with chopped parsley and serving.
- Enjoy!
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