Guinness Shepherds Pie Food

BONNIE'S GUINNESS SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• 1. Cook's note: You can make the roast beef and the mashed potatoes ahead and refrigerate. Be sure to warm up the meat and potatoes before making the recipe as it will affect the cooking time.
• 2. MAKE AHEAD: Use this recipe for roast beef. (It is my posted recipe for French Dip Sandwiches, and it is perfectly seasoned for this recipe) Place in a crockpot the following 4 ingredients. One 2.5 pound chuck roast, fat trimmed. One can Campbell's French Onion Soup. One can of beef broth, and one bottle of Guinness beer. Cook in slow cooker until tender but not falling apart. Let it cool, then cut meat into a 1/2 inch dice.
• 3. BOIL POTATOES: Make mashed potatoes, season with 1/2 cup sliced green onions, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of milk if it needs more liquid when you are mashing them. I use an electric mixer to mash the potatoes.
• 4. PRECOOK VEGETABLES: Precook the frozen carrots, corn and onions until partially done and drain well. In a large mixing bowl, add the diced meat, all the vegetables, one cup of gravy and mix gently. Pour meat mixture into a 9X13 dish, or if you are making a smaller amount use a 10 inch pie plate. Top with the seasoned mashed potatoes. Using the tines of a large fork, make the design on top like my photo. Place the baking dish on a cookie sheet with a lip, and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let set at least 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

TRADITIONAL IRISH SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200C/400°F.
• Saute carrots in the olive oil until starting to get tender.
• Add in the onions and saute for a minute or two then add the meat.
• Season with black pepper and thyme.
• Cook until browned then drain fat.
• Add the butter and peas.
• Sprinkle with flour and stir through.
• Add tomato paste, wine and Worcestershire sauce.
• Let this reduce slightly then add the chicken stock. Allow to reduce down until you have a thick meaty gravy. Season to your taste.
• Remove from heat. Grease an oven proof dish** (9x13 works for me, as does an oval baker) with butter and add the sauce.
• Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes over top. Brush with egg and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if using.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until the potato is nice and browned on top.
• Serve as is or with some crusty bread to mop up that yummy sauce!

SHEPHERD'S PIE (THE REAL THING!)

Steps:

• Use 1/2 a can of Guiness Stout to marinade ground lamb. Leave covered in fridge for at least 1 hr and if possible overnight.
• In a hot pan, put in olive oil and add mince lamb to brown. Strain cooked mince with a big sieve, separating meat & juice.
• Reheat same pan, add more olive oil and now saute & brown diced onions, garlic and carrot till fragrant and translucent.
• Add the cooked mince into this pan and mix well.
• Add dried marjoram, rosemary and thyme and mix well.
• Pour left over juice from the mince into the pan and add all the Worcestershire sauce and half of the English parsley and stir well.
• Cook on low heat for 20 mins and when it starts bubbling, add in flour to thicken the mixture.
• Add salt & pepper to taste.
• Cook potatoes in salted water till soft enough to mash.
• Strain potatoes and mash with a big knob of salted butter, cream and milk (totally full fat!). Season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg powder.
• Pour cooked mince mixture in a big enough pyrex dish.
• Layer the mash potato on top and seal the edges.
• Bake or brown in oven for 20 to 30 mins at 180 degrees celsius.
• Serve with a side of boiled cabbage & carrots with lots of butter and sprinkle leftover English parsley!

GUINNESS SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• To make the filling: in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and cook until foaming. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the ground beef, salt, and pepper; cook, breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until browned, about 12 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook until paste begins to darken, about 1 minute.
• Add the heavy cream and cook until it spatters, about 1 minute. Add broth, beer, soy sauce, and thyme and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick but still saucy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in peas, adjust seasonings to taste, and transfer to broilersafe 2-quart casserole dish.
• To make the topping: Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saucepan over high heat bring potatoes, ½ teaspoon salt, and water to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, return to saucepan, and mash potatoes with butter and cream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread potatoes over filling, using spatula to smooth top. Brush with egg and drag fork across top to make ridges. Bake until filling is bubbling, about 15 minutes.
• Turn on broiler and cook until top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Serve.

SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Prepare potato topping: In a large saucepan add the potatoes and garlic and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. Transfer the potatoes and garlic to a large bowl. Add the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the broth, butter, salt and pepper, and beat on low speed with a hand mixer until the potatoes are light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. If the mixture is too dry, add the remaining 1/4 cup broth. Do not overmix. Cover and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch round baking dish with nonstick spray.
• Prepare filling: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until browned and almost crisp, about 7 to 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate; set aside.
• Add the oil to the drippings in the skillet and put over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Stir in the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat, until the beef begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the carrots, peas, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring, until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the beer, bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes Add the cooked bacon, the broth, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.
• Spoon the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread the potato topping evenly over the beef mixture. Bake until the filling is hot, the topping is lightly browned and the edges are bubbly, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes. Let rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.