I would request it for my birthday dinners, when a celebration was in order, or when I just craved Mom’s home cooking. 

The fresh herbs in this classic comfort food recipe make it sing…Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme; Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine. 

Mom called her version *Chinese Pie which was slightly different than this Shepherd’s Pie recipe (creamed corn in place of carrot, onion, zucchini, peas), but had all the comfort that only a casserole (or maybe a fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookie) can bring.

Another similar dish to the Irish Shepherd’s Pie is Cottage Pie, one made with lamb and one with beef, although the variations are many.

The Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• In a large skillet sauté mushrooms until golden brown on both sides and reserve
• Meanwhile boil potatoes until tender, drain, and mash with butter, buttermilk, sage, salt & pepper
• If using fresh English peas simmer those as well

• Brown the meat and drain fat
• Add garlic, tomato paste, fresh herbs and Worcestershire, stir to combine
• Add wine and allow to mostly cook off before dusting with flour (or arrowroot for gluten free)
• Stir in broth and simmer until sauce begins to thicken
• Return sautéed mushrooms to pan to combine
• Season with salt and pepper to taste

• Pour browned meat and mushrooms into 2 quart buttered casserole dish. Reserve.

• Top meat/mushroom layer with sautéed vegetables. Reserve.

• Spread mashed potatoes over veggie layer
• Make a criss-cross pattern with a fork
• Dot with butter pieces 
• Bake until edges start to become golden brown 40 – 45 minutes  
• Finish under broiler for nice brown peaks
• Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving

This Shepherd’s Pie is rich and hearty and just as comfortable as I remember. Hope you love it like we do!

*I just had to know where the name Chinese Pie came from so I did a little culinary digging. Apparently Chinese Pie, also known as Paté Chinois, originated in Canada and is a staple French-Canadian dish. During the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 19th century workers were fed rations of beef, potatoes and corn. Many of the workers of primarily Asian origin would combine their rations, creating a family-style dish to be shared. This serving style took off with the French-Canadian workers as well who dubbed the dish Paté Chinois (or Chinese Pie in French). And now you know ~ the rest of the story.

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All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Shepherd’s Pie

This Shepherd's Pie is rich and hearty and just as comfortable as I remember. The fresh herbs in this classic comfort food recipe make it sing.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Meat & Mushroom Layer

• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon butter & olive oil
• 2 lbs. ground beef and/or ground lamb
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage) minced
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 Tablespoon flour or arrow root (for GF Version)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the Vegetable Layer

• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced, about 1 cup
• 2-3 carrots diced, about 1 cup
• 2 small zucchini julienned, about 1 cup
• 1 cup fresh or frozen English peas

For the Potato Layer

• 3 lbs. potatoes or cauliflower for a low-carb alternative
• 5 Tbl. butter divided
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp. fresh sage minced optional
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Meat & Mushroom Layer

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter & 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add mushrooms in single layer and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove from skillet and reserve.
• Brown meat over medium high heat, drain fat, then add tomato paste, garlic, fresh herbs, and Worcestershire. Stir to combine and cook 1-2 minutes. Stir in wine and allow to mostly cook off before dusting with flour (arrowroot for gluten free version). Stir to incorporate, then add broth and stir until sauce begins to thicken. Return browned mushrooms to the pan. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Pour meat/mushrooms into 2 quart buttered casserole dish.

For the Vegetable Layer

• In skillet saute onion & carrot until just tender, then add zucchini continue cooking for 3-4 minutes. Stir in frozen peas (or cooked fresh peas). Season with salt & pepper to taste. Pour veggies over browned meat/musrooms in casserole dish.

For the Potato Layer

• Boil potatoes until tender, drain, then add 4 Tablespoons butter, buttermilk, 1/2 tsp. fresh sage, salt & pepper and mash. Spoon potatoes on top of meat/vegetable layers.
• Take a fork and scratch a pattern into top of mashed potatoes. Dot with remaining Tablespoon butter. Bake until golden 40 – 45 minutes. Finish under broiler for nice brown peaks. Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

If you’re looking for a low-carb option, use cauliflower mash instead of mashed potatoes.

The post Shepherd’s Pie – A Classic Comfort Food appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

When you read the word comfort what comes to mind? Perhaps you are at a place in your life where comfort is most often used as a verb, whether providing or receiving it.  Since you’re reading this on my food blog, perhaps comfort food is the first thing you think of.

When I wrote this post about Salisbury Steak I wanted to prepare and share a dish that said “when I am with you I am complete and comfortable”.

Today, I stepped outside of my comfort zone.  And while I was mildly uncomfortable at times, there was a rush associated with it that I loved.

Last night I enjoyed the most wonderful dinner with my kid and my brother who had flown into Atlanta for business.  This was the second time Shelby and I dined at Lure and we were certain Scott would love it like we did.  And he did.  I believe his exact words were “I haven’t had a meal this good in as long as I can remember.”

I will write more about this restaurant in the future as I vow to recreate their smoked scallop recipe and add it to this round-up of Favorite Sea Scallops.  Scallops might be the most sensual food on the planet, well that and Sage Brown Butter.

Definition ‘sen-su-al’ adjective: “relating to or consisting in the gratification of the senses or the indulgence of appetite.”

We started with raw oysters on the half shell.

I’ll never forget the first time I tried a raw oyster.  I was 15 years old when two of my girlfriends and I boarded a Greyhound bus for New York City.  We were off to The Big Apple to stay with my brother and his girlfriend.  He picked us up at the terminal in his work delivery van (you know the beat up unmarked white kind).  We piled in the back with our suit cases and took our seats on the wheel wells and spare tire.  He gave us a mini-tour including the Theater District, Times Square and 42nd street where we saw our first real live hookers.  We hadn’t been in the city 30 minutes and these three country bumpkins from New Hampshire were wide-eyed and totally outside our comfort zone.  And loving it.

The next morning before he headed off to work Scott gave us very specific instructions.  When you leave the building DO NOT turn right, only left.  And don’t go into the park unless you want to buy drugs.  Oh boy.  Wide-eyed.  That evening he took us to some hotel bar and ordered raw oysters.  I’m certain his single goal for the week was to keep us just outside our comfort zone.  I don’t even know how I got that oyster down, but vowed I’d never try one again.

Well about that, sometimes stepping outside your comfort zone leads to pleasure and enjoyment.  It lights a fuse inside of us if you will.  Which is precisely how I feel about oysters now.  Shelby and I certainly enjoyed our share of oysters during this visit to New Orleans….where we in fact stepped outside of our comfort zone on more than one occasion.  Hello Bourbon Street.

I have a short bucket list started.  After all I did turn 50 this year and was given the book 50 Things To Do When You Turn 50.  It’s quite a list.  Some of the things on my bucket list will take me outside my comfort zone.  THIS is so happening in January.

What’s your definition of comfort?  Favorite comfort food?  Do you venture outside your comfort zone?

The post Comfort. appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

A match made in heaven.  That’s what Jennifer & Jason are.  The love that surrounded them on their big day was so real you could touch it.  It came from their families, separated by an isle but clearly united by love.  We their friends were overflowing with joy for them as they said their I Do’s.  And as they turned to face us for the first time as husband and wife their beautiful smiling faces and interlocked hands lifted us all.

It’s not surprising that this couple, who makes everyone in their presence feel ‘comfortable,’ would serve amazing comfort food at their wedding reception.  I’m torn between my two favorite dishes, Shrimp & Grits or this heavenly Brown Sugar Chicken & Sweet Potato Casserole.

In the end, I chose the casserole in honor of J&J….to me it represents their love story.  Join two unique flavors, slowly heat them over time, add just the right amount of sugar and spice, taste for balance, simmer just a little longer until their flavors become one, then share with those who love you most.  That’s comfort food and a match made in heaven.

This recipe is created from the lingering flavors I’ve kept on the tip of my tongue since Saturday evening.  Our table decided that the chicken was definitely slow cooked in the sweet potato goodness.  It was moist and took on the familiar flavors of a yummy sweet potato casserole.  I was tempted to top the whole thing in a layer of buttery brown sugar and pecan goodness….but I held back.  While this dish was sweet….it had a savory side to it as well ;)

The post Brown Sugar Chicken & Sweet Potato Casserole {Comfort Food} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.