The rich flavour of porter beer is infused into this beef and veggie shepherd's pie, which is in turn punched up again by Damaris' pepper Jack mashed potatoes.
Directions for: Porter and Vegetable Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
Shepherd's Pie4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 carrots, finely diced (3/4 cup)
2 stalks celery, finely diced (3/4 cup)
1 medium onion, finely diced (1 1/2 cups)
1 lb(s) lean ground beef (90/10 ratio) or ground beef substitute
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup porter beer, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable stock, warmed
cup frozen corn
cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp garlic powder
tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pepper Jack Mashed Potatoes, recipe follows
Pepper Jack Mashed Potatoes3 large russet potatoes, peeled and coarsely diced (about 2 lbs or 5 cups total)
Kosher salt
cup sour cream
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz pepper Jack cheese, grated
Coarsely ground black pepper
bunch green onions, greens sliced
Special equipment: 5 x 5-inch cast-iron skillets or a 10-inch cast-iron skillet
Directions
Shepherd's Pie1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Melt the butter in a large cast-iron skillet set over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and onions, and saute until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. if using ground beef substitute, cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top and saute to cook off the flour flavor, 1 minute. Whisk in the porter and stock until combined. Stir in the corn, peas, Worcestershire, garlic powder and red pepper flakes until combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook to reduce the liquid by one-third, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
3. Fill five 5-inch cast-iron skillets halfway with the beef mixture. Divide the Pepper Jack Mashed Potatoes evenly among the skillets. Alternatively use a 10-inch skillet and fill halfway with the beef mixture and top with the potatoes. Place the skillets on a baking sheet and bake until the mashed potatoes start to brown and the sauce is bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.
Pepper Jack Mashed Potatoes1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, then cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10 minutes. Drain and place the potatoes in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sour cream, cream cheese, pepper Jack and some salt and pepper, and mix until fluffy. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Fold in the green onions and enjoy!
Tips and Substitutions
Cook's Note: if you want this to be a vegetarian meal, use vegetarian Worcestershire sauce.
See more: Vegetables, Bake, Beef, Comfort Food, Legumes, Main, Potatoes