This is a tasty, comfort-food style dish that is simple to make and is very much an Americana style recipe. It is not an authentic English style shepherd’s pie, but rather the style that I ate while growing up in a small town in the Rockies. I don’t make it often but every once in a while on a cold wintery day, I crave simple comfort foods like the ones that I grew up with. When I made this batch, my kids didn’t even remember me having made it before (I guess it had been a while) but ate every bite and asked for more. It’s a simple food that sticks to your ribs and can be made with ingredients that you likely already have in your house. Next time maybe I’ll make an authentic styled English shepherd’s pie with mutton (and no tomatoes, of course) but for now, try a slice of America!

Shepherd’s Pie

Note: I made a pretty large batch here (hey, I told you this is American style!) so feel free to halve it for a smaller family.

1 Tbsp. – Olive oil

8 oz. – Pork sausage

1 lb. – Ground Beef

1 – Large Onion, chopped

5-6 cloves – Garlic, minced

1 cup – Red wine

2 Tbsp. – Basil (fresh or dried), minced

2 Tbsp. – Oregano (fresh or dried), minced

2 tsp. – Paprika

1 Tbsp. – Sugar

1 28oz. can – Crushed tomatoes

1 15oz. can – Tomato sauce

1 6oz. can – Tomato paste

15 oz. – Corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)

15 oz. – Peas and Carrots (frozen)

2 lb. – Potatoes

4 Tbsp. – Butter

1/3 cup – Heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup – Whole milk

1 cup – Cheddar (I used a mix of aged and medium) shredded

Salt and Pepper

 

Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and add oil. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the sausage and ground beef, fry until well browned, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stir well, and continue to sauté until the onions become clear. Add the basil, oregano, and paprika, along with a Tbsp. or two of salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat to high and add the wine, simmer until the wine has cooked down and all but evaporated.

Add the tomatoes, sauce, paste, and sugar. Lower the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer on low heat for ten minutes or until slightly thickened. Check the taste for salt and pepper and add more as needed. Add the corn, peas, and carrots. Stir well and let rest. Spread into a large casserole dish.

Peel and dice the potatoes. Add to a large pot and cover with cold water, boil until soft. Remove the water and mash. Add the butter, cream, and milk. Whip with an immersion blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. They should be smooth, light mashed potatoes (but not watery). Let cool then spread on top of the cooled sauce in the casserole.

Top with the shredded cheese. At this point the pie can easily be stored (even frozen) until needed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about an hour or until the sauce starts to bubble up on the sides. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly (or it will burn every taste bud off of your tongue!).

I love Thai food! It’s one of the few types of food where I love both the original, authentic cuisine and the Westernized fusions as well. It all tastes good. The thing that is great about southeast Asian cooking is that it always has elements from all five tastes (salty, sweet, bitter, sour, umami) and it’s done with fresh and usually light ingredients. This recipe came about by taking my favorite satay recipe mixing it with my favorite Bahn Mi recipe, and removing the bread. It makes for a tasty light meal that is quick to prepare and delicious! I made it recently for dinner and all of my kids ate every bite and then licked their plates clean (and then were given the stink-eye from their mother for licking their plates).

Chicken Satay Salad

1 batch – Chicken satays (recipe below)

1 batch – Peanut satay sauce (recipe below)

1 cup – Vietnamese daikon and carrot pickle (recipe below)

2 heads – Romaine lettuce, coarsely torn

1/4 head – Purple cabbage, finely shredded

1 bunch – Fresh cilantro, minced

1 bunch – Fresh scallions, finely chopped

2 – Limes, quartered

1/2 cup – Roasted salted cashews, chopped

 

Assemble the salad by tossing the lettuce, cabbage, scallions, and cilantro in a large bowl. In individual salad bowls place a large serving of the lettuce mixture (about 2 cups). Squeeze a quarter of lime over each bowl and top with cashews. Drizzle with room temperature satay sauce. Serve with a single satay on top of each.

Chicken Satays

2 lbs. – Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless

1/4 cup – Fish sauce

1/4 cup – Brown sugar

2 tsp. – Fresh ginger, minced

2 cloves – Fresh garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. – Peanut oil

bamboo sticks

Soak the bamboo sticks in water. Slice the chicken into thin (1 cm. thick) strips. Mix remaining ingredients and add chicken to it in a small bowl. Let marinade for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Thread the strips of chicken, which usually works out to about 3 pieces per stick, onto the bamboo sticks. Stretch the chicken tightly across the sticks.

Grill on high heat for 10-15 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is fully cooked and slightly caramelized on the grill marks.

 

Peanut Satay Sauce

1 13.5 ounce can – Coconut milk

1 Tbsp. – Red curry paste

3/4 cup – Fresh creamy (or chunky) peanut butter

1 tsp. – Fish sauce

3/4 cup – Sugar

2 Tbsp. – Vinegar

1/2 cup – Water

Add all ingredients into a small, heavy bottomed pot and bring to a gentle boil. Stir constantly. Continue to simmer over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add more salt and sugar to taste. Let cool to warm.

 

Vietnamese Daikon and Carrot Pickle

1 lb. – Daikon, julienned

1 lb. – Carrots, julienned

1/4 cup – Kosher salt

1/4 cup – Sugar

1/4 cup – water

1/4 cup – vinegar

 

Heat water to a light simmer, remove from heat and add the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir until dissolved. Let cool slightly then add the daikon and carrots. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. These are good on this salad and others, as well as on sandwiches, and as garnishes to other Southeast Asian dishes. Enjoy!