Pub-Style Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes

• 0.5 lbs whole carrots

• 0.5 lbs celery

• 1 yellow onion

• 0.25 oz fresh thyme

• 4 tablespoons (0.25 cup) sour cream

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 3 oz tomato paste

• 1.5 lbs ground beef

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 cup beef stock

• 1 cup white cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Move oven rack to highest position and preheat broiler to 500°F.

2. Peel and dice tomatoes into 0.5-inch pieces. Strip thyme leaves from stems and roughly chop leaves. Trim, peel, and halve carrots lengthwise, then slice crosswise into 0.25-inch thick semicircles. Finely dice celery. Halve, peel, and finely chop onion.

3. Place potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes once boiling.

4. Drain and return potatoes to pot, reserving some of the cooking water. Mash with sour cream, 3 tablespoons of butter, and 1 teaspoon of chopped thyme until smooth and creamy, adding splashes of cooking water as needed. Season generously with salt and pepper. Keep covered and off heat until ready to serve.

5. While potatoes cook, heat a drizzle of oil in a large ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Add carrot and season with salt and pepper, then cook 2-3 minutes.

6. Add celery, onion, and a large drizzle of oil to the pan, then season with additional salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are just tender (5-7 minutes).

7. Stir in garlic powder and 2 teaspoons of chopped thyme. Cook until fragrant (1 minute).

8. Add beef to pan with the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking meat into small pieces, until browned and cooked through (4-6 minutes).

9. Add tomato paste and flour, then cook and stir thoroughly until combined (1 minute).

10. Gradually pour beef stock into pan with the beef mixture. Stir and bring to a boil, then cook until mixture is very thick (1-2 minutes). Turn off heat and taste and season with salt and pepper.

11. Top beef filling with an even layer of mashed potatoes, leaving a 1-inch border of exposed filling around the edge of the pan. Top with an even layer of cheese.

12. Broil until browned (3-4 minutes), watching carefully to avoid burning.

13. Serve directly from pan.

Notes

• Russet potatoes may be substituted for this recipe, but Yukon gold are preferred.

• Mashed potatoes can alternatively be mashed in a stand mixer.

• Dried thyme may be substituted for the fresh thyme, at a ratio of 0.25 teaspoon dried per every teaspoon fresh.

• Low-sodium beef broth can be substituted for the beef stock.

• Frozen peas can be added after Step 9 if desired.

Source

HelloFresh Week 43-2 (https://www.hellofresh.com/recipes/pub-style-shepherds-pie-61f982bf055a054a23694946)