A Rewarding Experience – Shepherd’s Pie

I must have been in first or second grade when I got honored for something I did. But for the life of me, I can’t tell you what it was. Maybe participation in a play? An award for something? I have no idea. All I remember was that the event was hosted in a corporate boardroom with a very long table on the top floor of a multistory bank. I can picture the building; it was located on City Line Avenue just outside of Philadelphia. And I know we were served Salisbury Steak for lunch. Kind of odd that I remember the lunch, but not the overall purpose, but that’s how my mind works.

I had never had Salisbury Steak before and despite all the delicious foods I was raised with, for some reason I thought “now this is fancy.” Of course, I now know it is not. It’s simply an individual meatloaf; nothing more than a seasoned ground beef patty shaped into a flat oval then smothered in salty brown gravy. At the time, I thought it was the pinnacle of fine dining, and it clearly made an impression. I was unaware that most attendees probably knew what it was. After all, it was a staple of TV dinners in the mid-1970s. And like a TV dinner, I’m sure it was served with mashed potatoes (reconstituted potato flakes, which would fit the era?) and a soggy, overcooked vegetable like green beans or frozen carrots and peas.

Thinking back on the occasion now, I have some questions. Was Salisbury Steak chosen because it was a meal the organizers thought was fancy too? Was it something they were certain the children would eat? Did the adults enjoy the same fare as the kids being honored or were they served something else? If they ate it, did they enjoy it? Was it prepared from scratch in some secret kitchen, or cooked elsewhere, frozen, and heated up once on the premises – like a TV dinner?  How did it get to the top floor of this building? Why was I there in the first place?

Recalling this Salisbury Steak experience got me pondering other foods of the era, or at least that stage of life. Sloppy Joes oozing from their soft hamburger buns were a staple of school lunches. I always liked them. Other popular dishes of time included SpaghettiOs, Tuna Casserole, and Rice-A-Roni. I never ate those. My wife Marci’s favorites were frozen Weaver’s chicken and Shepherd’s Pie.

But Shepherd’s Pie, while classic kid food, strikes me as somewhat different than the others. First, it’s got a long history with British/Scottish/Irish origins. Second, a good Shepherd’s Pie really is quite tasty and satisfying. And unlike Salisbury Steak, you can still order it today in most Irish pubs. Seasoned meat under a blanket of mashed potatoes, it can go from basic – simply cooked ground beef and mashed potatoes, to fancy – a complex lamb and/or beef stew with diced vegetables in a rich, savory gravy. The potatoes may even contain added cheese for a richer, creamier topping – think twice baked potatoes.

While my palate has matured over the years and I would find it odd to be served Salisbury Steak (or Sloppy Joe’s, SpaghettiOs, or Tuna Casserole) at an event honoring little kids today, a nice Shepherd’s Pie is always welcome.

Shepherd’s Pie

There’s a million ways to make Shepherd’s Pie, and everyone will have a version they like best. This recipe, based loosely on one found in the New York Times, has ground meat in a rich gravy with vegetables and a fluffy topping of mashed potatoes. For the ground meat you can use beef, lamb, or turkey, or a blend of any of these to meet your needs. And as for vegetables, use the combination of peas, corn, and carrots that you like. Since these vegetables freeze well, why not save the time and effort of peeling and chopping by using a bag from the freezer section of your regular supermarket?

As for the mashed potatoes themselves, my preferred method is to use a potato ricer. While Marci disagrees, I find it makes the fluffiest, creamiest mashed potatoes of all, even if it requires a little extra effort. And don’t even think of using potato flakes!

No matter what you do, remember that there are lots of variations of Shepherd’s Pie. Therefore, use this recipe as a starting point and modify it to meet your tastes and needs. However you make it, your Shepherd’s Pie will come out warm and satisfying.

Serves 6 to 8, 1½ hours

3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus ½ tsp. and more for seasoning, divided

1 stick butter, divided

¼ to ½ cup half and half or milk

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1½ lbs. ground beef, lamb, or turkey, or a combination of these

½ tsp. pepper

6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped from the stems, or ½ tsp. dried

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1½ Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 cup beef stock

1-16 oz. bag frozen peas, carrots, and corn, or any combination of these

vegetable oil spray

1. Peel and cut the potatoes and rinse them well before placing in a large pot of cold water. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and bring to a boil over a high heat.
2. Boil until a fork easily pierces the pieces with almost no resistance, about 15 minutes, then drain. (Do not overcook the potatoes or they will be soggy and starchy.)
3. Place 6 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl and use the potato ricer to press about a cup of the still hot potatoes at a time over the butter or use a hand potato masher. When done pressing, stir to distribute the melted butter and add ¼ cup of half and half or milk. Taste and add more half and half or milk and salt, if needed. Set mashed potatoes aside.
4. While the potatoes are boiling, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and sauté until translucent but not browning, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground meat, ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, and thyme leaves and cook stirring occasionally and breaking into pieces, until it is heated through. If there is excess fat, drain it off. Add tomato paste and stir to combine for a minute or two before adding the soy sauce. Cook for an additional minute or two. Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture and stir it in. It is okay if the tomato paste and flour stick to the pan, just keep stirring. Add the beef stock and deglaze the pan, dissolving any tasty brown bits that got stuck to the skillet. Add the frozen vegetables and simmer until they are warmed through, and the gravy has thickened a bit. Taste and add salt if necessary. Set aside.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 ^oF.
6. Once the meat and potatoes are cooked, assemble the Shepherd’s Pie. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9 x 12 lasagna pan with a light coating of vegetable oil spray. Distribute the meat mixture evenly over the bottom. Smooth the mashed potatoes over the meat. Use a fork to make wispy ridges on the surface of the potatoes.
7. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and, using a pastry brush, coat the top of the Shepherd’s pie with it.
8. Put the lasagna pan on a foil-lined sheet pan to catch any drips, and place in the oven. Allow to cook until starting to brown and hot and bubbly at the edges 30 to 45 minutes. Broil the top carefully for a minute or two under the broiler (as long as you are not using a glass pan) if you want to brown the wisps of the mashed potatoes. Let stand for 15 minutes out of the oven to solidify before serving.

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